Almost constant surveillance, restricted access to families, isolation: The treatment of the last 30 Guantánamo detainees was “cruel, inhuman and degrading”, denounced a UN expert on Monday after the first visit of this kind to the American military prison.
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After two decades of unsuccessful requests from independent UN human rights experts, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, was finally granted permission to visit in February.
The report, released Monday, describes “near-constant surveillance, forced removal from cells, excessive use of coercive means,” “structural deficiencies in terms of health, poor access for families, and inadequate opportunities,” despite “significant improvements” at the detention center. “arbitrary detentions marked by persistent violations of the right to a fair trial”.
“The aggregate of all these practices and negligence…taken together, they have a profoundly aggravating impact on the dignity, freedoms and fundamental rights of each and every prisoner, which I believe amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment under international law. ‘” she said at a news conference.
“Closing this facility remains a priority,” she added, hailing “the openness and willingness of the United States to lead by example by allowing this visit.”
Independent UN human rights experts have sought access to this military prison in southeastern Cuba since it opened in 2002 to inmates of the US-led “war on terror” following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
AFP
The prison, which has become a thorn in Washington’s side for illegal detention, human rights abuses and torture, has held up to 800 “prisoners of war,” most of whom are being held despite scant evidence of their involvement.
In a letter accompanying the report, the United States expressed “disagreement” with “numerous allegations” about a document that “does not reflect the official position of the United Nations” and specifically ensured that detainees received medical care and were able to communicate regularly with her family.
“We have granted the Special Rapporteur unprecedented access” and are “confident that the conditions of detention at Guantánamo are humane,” wrote Ambassador to the Human Rights Council Michèle Taylor, noting that the Biden administration is “actively working to find suitable locations for. “ the rest of the prisoners are transferrable.”
Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, on the other hand, looked at the aftercare for the victims of 9/11 and noted that there was still work to be done to respect their “right to redress”.
AFP
The report stresses that the practice of torture at “black sites” (underground American prisons) and then at Guantanamo “constitutes the main obstacle to the victims’ right to justice.” “Torture was a betrayal of the victims’ rights.”
“The US government must ensure that it is held accountable for all its violations of international law, whether they are victims of its counterterrorism practices, current and former detainees, or victims of terrorism,” he said the expert.
“I emphasize the importance of apologies, full support, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence for all victims,” she said.
“And those guarantees will be no less urgent in the years to come.”