La ONG International Amnesty has urged the President of the United States, Joe Biden, to “fulfill his commitment” and proceed to closure of the prison Guantánamo, in Cuba, close to 20 years after the transfer of the first detainees to the facilities in the framework of the ‘war against terrorism’.
“President Biden must fulfill his commitment to close Guantanamo once and for all. The longer the prison remains in use, the longer the prison remains in use, more will continue to undermine the overall credibility of the United States in terms of Human rights“, has asserted the director of the Security Program with Human Rights of the organization in the country, Daphne Eviatar.
On the eve of the opening of the military prison on January 11, 2001, Amnesty International has criticized that this is an anniversary “that should not have been reached”, as stated in a statement from the organization.
“Since the Bush Administration, there has been an agreement between experts in national security and from the entire political spectrum regarding the fact that the Guantánamo prison – a place infamous for torture and unjustifiable indefinite detention – should be closed, “added Eviatar.
The United States Government has reiterated its willingness to close the Guantanamo detention center, as the anniversary of its opening after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
“We remain determined to deliberate now a comprehensive process focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population in Guantanamo Bay and, ultimately, to close the facilities, “said US State Department spokesman Ned Price.
Price’s words came just over a week after US President Joe Biden called for the Congress lifts restrictions on the transfer of Guantanamo prisoners, after signing the federal budget, spending and policy law of the Department of Defense.
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The National Defense Authorization law, which contemplates a budget of 770,000 million dollars (about 680,000 million euros), was criticized by Biden – despite signing it – for including provisions that prevent the transfer of prisoners to other prisons, both in the country and abroad, and with it, its closure.
“The law continues to prohibit the use of funds to transfer detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the effective custody or control of certain foreign countries (…) and also prohibits the use of funds to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States unless certain conditions are met, ” Biden stressed.
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