Obama plans closure of Guantanamo Bay

Nils 12 November 2008, 03:04PM

Amnesty International welcomes the news reported in yesterday's Washington Post which confirmed that advisers of President-elect Obama are working to close Guantanamo Bay. It is also reported that the US Administration will abandon the trials Amnesty International has frequently stated do not meet international standards for fair trials.

Directly after last weeks election, Amnesty International challenged President-elect Obama in a letter to permanently close Guantanamo Bay and promptly charge detainees for trial in US federal courts.

The plan currently being drafted by his advisers indicates that after the closure of Guantanamo, some detainees would be released and others would be charged in U.S. courts. There they would benefit from constitutional rights and open trials.

This is a welcome move away from the Bush Administration's, establishment of military commissions to prosecute detainees at the Navy base in Cuba, which substantially violates detainees' right to a fair trial.

However, it remains unclear whether all detainees will profit from the protection of US constitutional law. At the moment, the creation of a whole new legal system to deal with the classified information inherent in some cases is under discussion.

About the Author

This blog entry was created by Nils and does not necessarily represent the position or opinion of Amnesty International Australia.

Share: What are these?

Comments

Comments are submitted by members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Amnesty International Australia. If you find a comment objectionable please contact the web editor.

Page 1 of 1 pages

 

Sorry, commenting is no longer available in this weblog entry.

Make an impact

The Canadian Government is considering appealing a Federal Court decision that Omar Khadr - detained at Guantanamo Bay since 2002, when 15 years old - must be repatriated under Canadian law. Contact the Canadian Prime Minister now.

Stay Informed

Sign up for email updates

Email address:

Subscribe using RSS

Get Involved

© David Herthnek

The 'war on terror' has been used by the US and its allies as an excuse to condone torture. Help to build a secure community - by donating today.

• Join Amnesty International
• Act locally