Activists urge Biden to close Guantánamo

Guantánamo is seen by critics as a symbol of how the USA has thrown the rule of law overboard in its “war on terror”. US President Joe Biden is supposed to finally close the camp.

20 years after the opening of the US prison camp in Guantánamo, the human rights organization demands Amnesty International told US President Joe Biden to close the controversial facility.

«The camp is a synonym for arbitrariness , Injustice and torture. The Guantánamo system cannot be repaired, “Amnesty International’s Sumit Bhattacharyya told DPA. “The camp itself must be closed and people who were involved in torture or other illegal activities must be brought to justice. They have to answer for their actions. “

Protests in several cities

For the upcoming 20th anniversary of the opening of the warehouse Amnesty International announced protests in various countries on Saturday. The first prisoners were brought to the camp in Cuba on January 11, 2002, which is located in a US military base. Amnesty accuses the US of having “continuously and systematically” violated human rights in the camp.

The organization demands that the 39 remaining prisoners must be given “a fair trial under the rule of law before civil courts”. If no evidence of crimes can be produced, they would have to be released.

A total of almost 700 people were temporarily imprisoned in the camp in Cuba. It was built after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 under the Republican President George W. Bush to detain suspected Islamist terrorists without trial.

Bush’s successor, Democrat Barack Obama, wanted to close it, but failed because of opposition in Congress. The Republican Donald Trump, in turn, wanted to keep the camp open. Biden – who was once Obama’s vice president – has set the goal of closing. According to his government, he has initiated a “comprehensive review” of the prison camp.

“eyesore of US history”

“It has been known for two decades that this camp does not meet international standards,” said Bhattacharyya as a check. With a view to the US congressional elections this year, the expert added: “It would be very much to be hoped that Biden would get serious before the next election in November and finally close the camp so that this stain on US history is finally wiped out. » Biden’s efforts to date are, however, “rather half-hearted”.

A commitment by the new federal government to the closure of Guantánamo would be «welcome», said Bhattacharyya. “The federal government could of course point out to the US government that the camp is illegal. One could possibly – if the Americans want that – take in people who have come from the camp and who have been proven to be innocent, so that at least the Gordian knot can be untied at that point. ” The US has had difficulties in the past in finding host countries for released prisoners from Guantánamo.

the rule of law abandoned

Bhattacharyya said that Guantánamo had sent out a devastating signal from the start. “The Guantanamo camp has sent the signal to the world that states which, like the USA, see themselves as champions of human rights, are prepared in certain situations to give up fundamental principles such as the rule of law. A much stronger sign would have been to say: The United States is countering serious crimes such as the 9/11 attacks with the rule of law. And we are not deviating from this principle either. ”

dpa