Posted on 02/05/2006 7:38:21 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
AMNESTY International has renewed its call for the US to close its Guantanamo Bay detention facility and try or release the prisoners held there.
"The US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is condemning thousands across the world to a life of suffering, torment and stigmatisation," the London-based rights group said in a statement accompanying a report. "Five hundred men from around 35 nationalities are detained in Guantanamo. Dozens are currently on hunger strike and there have been numerous suicide attempts.
"None of them have had the lawfulness of their detention reviewed in a court of law."
Amnesty Americas Programme Director Susan Lee said: "Despite widespread international condemnation, the US authorities continue in their attempts to strip all detainees of their right to challenge their detention in US courts."
The rights group demanded that the US administration publish a list of all "war on terror" detainees being held at Guantanamo and elsewhere, and try or release the prisoners.
Citing complaints from inmates of mistreatment and abuse, Amnesty also appealed to Washington to "close Guantanamo and open up all US detention facilities to independent scrutiny", and to investigate allegations of torture.
It said the force-feeding of inmates on hunger strike, if it was done in a way that deliberately caused suffering, could constitute "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment".
The report quoted one inmate, Fawzi al-Odah, describing how he was force-fed through a nasal tube.
"The nurse shoved a tube up my nose so quickly that I began choking, bleeding from the nose and spitting blood. They used no anaesthetic," he was quoted as saying.
Amnesty also said the families of detainees were not being given basic information about their loved ones.
Many of those prisoners who had been released or transferred from Guantanamo had faced "continued harassment, arbitrary arrest and ill-treatment" in other places.
A US federal judge last month ordered the Government to release the identities of hundreds of Guantanamo detainees, rejecting arguments that this might put their families in danger.
The Government is expected to appeal.
US President George W. Bush insisted last month that the prisoners were being treated "humanely".
"Guantanamo is a necessary part of protecting the American people. And so long as the war on terror goes on, and so long as there's a threat, we will inevitably need to hold people that would do ourselves harm," he said.
"The US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is condemning thousands across the world to a life of suffering, torment and stigmatization," the London-based rights group said...
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Yeah, well they're still alive. Three thousand in and beneath these buildings aren't. |
THESE CRETINS STILL WANT THE WORLD TO BELIEVE IT'S SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 EVERYDAY...
This is why we should interrogate captured terrorists quickly and then hang them as we're allowed to under the Geneva Convention. The longer you hold them, the more likely they'll escape or be released to kill again.
Its nice that Ammesty International has found homes for all of the terrorists and islamofascists so that we don't have to house them at Gitmo. I hope the Norwegians and Dutch enjoy their new neighbors.
I've got a better idea. When someone from Amnesty International steps foot on U.S. soil, pick them up and give them free lodging at Guantanamo.
 K|$$ MY @$$ ! (354KB) |
Actually...
I agree...
Put them in Gen Pop at Chico, or Michigan City, and they will be SCREAMING to tell us all they possibly know within about a week...
After leshaun sells them to Raul for a couple of cartons, they'll be a bit more plyable to interrogation......
I agree with your assessment. Guantanamo should be closed.
If these were people captured in Afghanistan, they should be tried there. This whole enemy combatant thing is ridiculous.
You are either guilty of a crime or not. If not, let them go. If yes, then be tried in a court and get a sentence.
To send them to a detention center in Cuba to get out of applying US law is nothing more than human rights violations. I am sure the hawks would quickly argue that is necessary until they find that their civil rights are violated.
It is a really sad state of affairs.
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