NEW YORK: A United Nations (UN) expert has urged the United States (US) to apologize for the “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” inflicted upon detainees at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility.
Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, who conducted the first official visit by a UN investigator to the facility in Cuba, noted significant improvements in confinement conditions since its establishment following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. However, Ní Aoláin’s report to the UN Human Rights Office highlighted ongoing concerns, including excessive surveillance, forced cell extractions, and non-compliant operating procedures, leading to a cumulative impact of cruel and degrading treatment.
Despite a reduction in the number of inmates to 30 from its peak of nearly 800, Ní Aoláin stressed the need for the facility’s closure, calling it a priority. The Guantánamo Bay detention facility, set up by the Bush White House in 2002, has long faced criticism for indefinite detainment without charge. The images of blindfolded detainees in orange jumpsuits kneeling on the ground have become symbolic of the “War on Terror” and have been imitated by extremist groups like the Islamic State.
UN Expert Emphasizes Accountability for International Law Violations
As the UN’s special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ní Aoláin emphasized the importance of accountability for international law violations and urged the US government to provide a formal apology. In response, the US Mission to International Organizations in Geneva released a statement expressing disagreement with many of Ní Aoláin’s assertions and reaffirming its commitment to safe and humane treatment of detainees in accordance with international and domestic law.
While the US government reviewed Ní Aoláin’s recommendations, it noted the transfer of ten individuals from Guantánamo since President Joe Biden assumed office and its ongoing efforts to find suitable locations for remaining eligible detainees. President Biden has expressed his intention to close the detention facility, continuing efforts initiated during the Obama administration. However, congressional resistance has posed challenges to previous closure attempts, and the process remains complex.
Established in 1903, the Guantánamo military base became a detention facility under President George W. Bush in 2002. Notably, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, remains one of the most high-profile prisoners held there. Former President Barack Obama had pledged to close the prison, but faced obstacles in achieving this goal. Under the Trump administration, the facility remained open, and President Biden has resumed efforts to bring about its closure, with several detainees transferred to other nations. The recent transfer of an Algerian detainee reduced the population at Guantánamo Bay to 30 individuals.
