Human rights expert calls for Guantanamo closure

A United Nations human rights expert called on the US to put on trial or release all people detained as “unlawful enemy combatants”, move quickly to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba and abolish military commissions.

In a report, Martin Scheinin, the UN’s independent investigator on human rights in the fight against terrorism, expressed grave concern at US detention practices, the existence and operation of military courts, and interrogation techniques.

Navy Cmdr Jeffrey Gordon, the US Defence Department spokesman on Guantanamo, said: “The unlawful enemy combatants held at Guantanamo are afforded more due process than any other captured enemy fighters in the history of warfare.

“While we have stated our desires to close Guantanamo, it would be irresponsible to release these dangerous men into the general population.”

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