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by Brett Wilkins.Originally Posted in common dream
On the 20th anniversary of the opening of the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba under former President George W. Bush’s administration, human rights defenders have pointed out that three US presidents have come and gone, but no one is responsible for these horrific crimes. It happened there, while calling for a fourth — Joe Biden — to finally end what one advocate called an “indelible stain” on the country.
“Four US presidents have overseen the facility, and three have pledged to close it,” the ACLU tweeted on Tuesday. “Keeping Guantanamo open every day is an affront to human rights, justice and the rule of law.”
“Since 2002, 779 Muslim men and boys Already held at Guantanamo with few charges or trials,” the ACLU continued.
According to retired U.S. Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who served as Bush-era Secretary of State Colin Powell’s chief of staff, and his Vice Presidents and Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, knowledge That most of prisoners are innocent, but they are being held for political reasons.
Many of the remaining are torture survivors. The CIA had disappeared some of them to “black spots” before they were sent to Guantanamo.
All of them suffered physical and psychological trauma associated with prolonged indefinite detention.
— American Civil Liberties Union (@ACLU) January 11, 2022
“Today, 39 men remain in indefinite detention,” the ACLU noted. “Twenty-seven people have never been charged with a crime, and 14 of them have been granted transfer or release, some for years.”
July 2021, Biden administration stated his intentions Close Guantanamo —release Abdul Latif Nasser, 56, was deported to his native Morocco after 19 years in detention. No other Gitmo prisoners have been transferred during Biden’s tenure.
Our legal team @BaluchiGitmo Created this illustration of Guantanamo’s “Past, Present and Future”. @POTUS This future can now be stopped by shutting down GTMO.
Please share and view the interactive version at the link below: https://t.co/7LbJ0qgDfY#close guantanamo #GITMO20 pic.twitter.com/4NzPiM2Asw
— Alka Pradhan? (@PradhanAlka) January 11, 2022
Biden’s former boss, President Barack Obama, signed an executive order after entering the White House in 2009 aimed at end torture and Close Gitmo. Obama – who is blocked by Congress From implementing prison closures – breaking a campaign promise and law go through Active shielding Bush era officials from accountability continue to torture in Gitmo.
Obama’s successor, former President Donald Trump, swear “Load” Gitmo with “Bad Guys” and “Bring Back Hell Worse Than Waterboarding” while contract Executive order to keep facilities open.However, the prison population has not increased during his tenure, and in 2019, he Say His government will look for an alternative to Guantanamo.
Twenty years ago today, I was horrified to see images of men kneeling on the ground in orange jumpsuits, forcibly covering their eyes, ears and mouth. I can’t imagine I’ll be one of them anytime soon. I endured kidnapping, torture, imprisonment without trial, and I saw a man murdered.
— Moazzam Begg (@Moazzam_Begg) January 11, 2022
Linking the four presidents of the Guantanamo era was a military council system under which detainees accused of the most serious crimes — including planning and supporting the September 11, 2001, attack on the United States — were detained. scheduled for trial. Many officers have resigned from former chief prosecutor Colonel Morris Davis Call “rigged” committees.
As the U.S. military slowly moves forward with the committee process, human rights advocates are urging Biden to succeed where his predecessor failed and ultimately shut down Guantanamo once and for all.
“President Biden, keep your campaign promises and leave a legacy of cruelty – torture, detention without charge or trial– Guantanamo Bay detention center behind us,” Marcy Winograd of CodePink, a women-led peace organization tweet, while calling on the President to appoint a State Department envoy”arrive closure this hell. ”
“President Biden needs to deliver on his promise to finally end this shameful chapter in American history,” ACLU assertion“He can do this by ending indefinite military detention and the unconstitutional military council system.”
Established during the War on Terror and after 9/11, the infamous Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) was a major violation of civil liberties in the shadow of the American Empire. #close GITMO pic.twitter.com/prQcpJd6f2
— CODEPINK (@codepink) January 11, 2022
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Agnes Callamard, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, wrote On Tuesday, “it’s not just about shutting down Guantanamo. It’s about taking responsibility for violations committed in its environment.”
“Guantanamo is an indelible stain on American history, and it must end now and never be repeated,” she stressed.
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