Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2016-01-12
Former inmates of Guantanamo Bay protested outside the White House in Washington DC, demanding the closure of the facility.
The group yesterday included a coalition of human rights activists, torture survivors and attorneys including Shaker Aamer who was freed in October 2015 after being incarcerated for 14 years without evidence, charge or trial.
Since Aamer’s release from Gitmo, he has spoken of the unimaginable torture and psychological abuse he suffered in both detention centres.
Organised by campaign groups including Witness Against Torture the protests on the 14th anniversary of the opening of the prison in Cuba, come a day after the US administration once again vowed to shut down the controversial detention site before President Barack Obama’s term ends this year.
Independent advocacy organisation Cage UK’s Cerie Bullivant says in his first day of office, US President Barack Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay.
“Here we are preparing for the presidential campaign that would take him out office and still that prison, that notorious site of torture is still open. I think questions have to be asked at the highest levels why he wasn’t able to carry out his first promise on his first day in government.”
Denis McDonough, Obama’s chief of staff, told Fox News on Monday that the president was determined to close the detention centre before his presidency ends in 11 months.
McDonough said, “He feels an obligation to the next president. He will fix this so that they don’t have to be confronted with the same set of challenges.”
There are still 103 detainees currently being held at the Guantanamo Bay.
Since the prison opened in January 2002, nine prisoners have died there.
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