The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has again called on the US authorities to close the CIA prison at Guantanamo Bay as soon as possible. According to reports, the ODIHR has said that the United States had intended to close the Guantanamo prison during 2021 while shifting one of its inmates to another place however there is still a lot to be done in this regard.
The infamous Guantanamo detention facility was established by the US government in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks and transported hundreds of alleged terrorists from across the world to the prison. The Guantanamo prison attracted global attention after news broke in the media about inhumane treatment and use of excessive torture and interrogation techniques by the US investigators against the prisoners in the facility. The global human rights defenders and Civil Society Activists ramped up their campaign against the US government to shut down the illegal detention facility and trial of detainees. Currently, 39 inmates are detained in Guantanamo prison, 27 of whom have been held for 15-20 years without formal charges.
Former US President Barack Obama had signed a decree to close Guantanamo more than 10 years ago, but failed to implement the decision because Congress refused to fund the liquidation of the prison. While his successor, Donald J. Trump, overruled the Obama decree, the Biden administration intends to close the prison, but does not stipulate any timeline for it. Presently, International human rights organizations, OSCE and UN officials are continuously urging the Biden administration to speed up its efforts to shut down the prison. Although the Biden administration intends to close the prison almost after two decades of its creation, it is facing resistance from the republicans and security establishment based on unforeseen apprehensions and unreal threat assessments. In fact, detention without prosecution is a blatant injustice and grave human rights violation, Biden administration must trial all inmates of Guantanamo prison, punish the convict while releasing the innocents to end the American legacy of unlawful abduction.
