Report: Conditions at Guantanamo Worsen

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 08:26:44 PM EST
Tags: detainee, Guantanamo (all tags)

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Amnesty International released a new report today, "USA: Cruel and Inhuman -- Conditions of Isolation for Detainees in Guantanamo Bay."

More than 80% of the 385 detainees are held in isolation, "a reversal of earlier moves to ease conditions and allow more socializing among detainee." While some detainees are held in solitary confinement at Camp Echo and Camp 5, conditions are worst at Camp 6, which opened in December.

Detainees are reportedly confined for 22 hours a day to individual, enclosed, steel cells where they are almost completely cut off from human contact. The cells have no windows to the outside or access to natural light or fresh air. No activities are provided, and detainees are subjected to 24- hour lighting and constant observation by guards through the narrow windows in the cell doors. They exercise alone in a high-walled yard where little sunlight filters through; detainees are often only offered exercise at night and may not see daylight for days at a time.

Many of these detainees have been held for more than five years without charges.

More...

While the United States has an obligation to protect its citizens and those living within its borders from attacks by armed groups, that does not relieve the United States from its responsibilities to comply with human rights and the rule of law. By rounding up men from all over the world and transporting them to an isolated penal colony, holding them without charge or trial, the United States has violated several U.S. and international laws and treaties. Statements by the Bush Administration that these men are "enemy combatants," "terrorists" or "very bad people" do not justify the complete lack of due process rights.

It's time to close Guantanamo and end the unfair military tribunals. The detainees should be charged or released, and if charged, should face trial under the Military Code of Justice. Enough is enough.

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Report: Conditions at Guantanamo Worsen | 4 comments (4 topical)

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Reportedly? (none / 0) (#1)
by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Apr 05, 2007 at 09:07:54 AM EST

Detainees are reportedly...

Its been reported that the earth is flat, and that 9/11 was an inside job usinf controlled explosions.

Perhaps making charges based on questionable reports may be a good way to get publicity.

: Are you calling.... (none / 0) (#5)
by kdog on Thu Apr 05, 2007 at 06:03:38 PM EST

Lt. Col. Couch a liar?
Because I'm calling Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Gonzales liars.
Just want to be clear. If you don't think people get tortured in Gitmo you'll believe anything. Just say you are cool with it if you are....denial is not becoming brother.

not to mention ... (none / 0) (#3)
by Sailor on Thu Apr 05, 2007 at 10:57:46 AM EST

... the camp commander has bragged publicly about making te camp and conditions harsher.

gitmo conditions (none / 0) (#4)
by Sailor on Thu Apr 05, 2007 at 12:47:20 PM EST

The second item is the story of a gung-ho military prosecutor, reported in the Saturday Wall Street Journal. Lt. Col Stuart Couch returned to the military in 2001 so he could "get a crack at the guys who attacked the United States," yet he, too, became disillusioned with practices at Guantanamo.
Couch was assigned to prosecute Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who he considers to be the Guantanamo detainee with "the most blood on his hands." Couch found that his prosecution was undermined because the prisoner had made incriminating statements - after being beaten, subjected to extreme temperatures, sexually humiliated and told that his family would be incarcerated and his mother raped. Couch saw this as against the Uniform Code of Military Justice, U.S. laws and international treaties signed by the United States. He refused to proceed with the prosecution.