February 16, 2006
New reports on Guantánamo
Five independent investigators of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights are calling on the United States to close immediately the detention centre in Guantánamo Bay and bring all detainees before an independent and competent tribunal or release them.
The experts were charged by the United Nations to analyse the situation in Guantanamo in light of the United State's obligations under international human rights law. They've found that the US has and is committing numerous human rights violations including arbitrary detention, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment and violations of the right to a fair trial, health and freedom of religion.
The report was written by the Chairperson of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Ms. Leila Zerrougui; the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Mr. Leandro Despouy; the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Mr. Manfred Nowak; the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ms. Asma Jahangir and the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Mr. Paul Hunt.
Download the report, PDF format.
Amnesty International has also issued a new report on the detainees at Guantánamo: "Guantánamo: Lives torn apart – The impact of indefinite detention on detainees and their families"
"As the unlawful detentions of ‘enemy combatants’ at the US detention centre at the Guantánamo Bay naval base, Cuba, enter their fifth year, Amnesty International is renewing its call for the detention centre to be closed and for all those held to be released or given fair trial according to international law and without recourse to the death penalty on the US mainland. Four years since the first transfers to Guantánamo, approximately 500 men(1) of around 35 nationalities remain held at the detention facility unlawfully. Reports from the detainees and their lawyers suggest that many have been subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment in Guantánamo or in other US detention centres. Some have embarked on a prolonged hunger strike, among them those who have requested not to be force-fed in order that they may be allowed to die. There have been numerous suicide attempts and fears for the physical and psychological welfare of the detainees increase as each day of indefinite detention passes.
In this document, Amnesty International relates the continuing plight of the detainees, and summarizes developments related to the ongoing hunger strike and further suicide attempts. The organization also assesses the situation of nine men who remain detained despite no longer being considered ‘enemy combatants’ by US authorities."
And write to President Bush demanding that he close down the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, and either charge and try the detainees in line with international standards, or release them.
Posted by marga at February 16, 2006 12:28 PM | TrackBack