London – The European Parliament is to host a first of its kind event on September 28 titled Close Guantanamo. Hosted by MEPs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace, the event will hear expert testimonials from former Guantanamo Bay prisoners Moazzam Begg, Mansor Adayfi and Lakhdar Boumediene, with the urgent call for the closure of the notorious U.S. prison, Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, who recently conducted a groundbreaking visit to Guantanamo will also feature at the event. Her report, released in June, starkly illuminates an ongoing regime that inflicts “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” [1] on detainees, potentially meeting the legal threshold for torture.

The event emphasises the urgent need for transparency of the crimes committed at Guantanamo Bay, accountability for those responsible for such crimes and justice for the prisoners who have been abused and tortured.

CAGE has consistently demanded the immediate release of all remaining prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and the closure of this deeply troubling facility. The voices at this event unite to echo this call, demanding an end to the suffering endured by those still held without charge or trial. 

Moazzam Begg, Senior Director at CAGE, said:

“Meeting at the European Parliament – alongside other former Guantanamo prisoners – to seek the closure and an end to the injustice at US’ most notorious prison camp seems like a milestone moment. 

Out of 779 prisoners once held in Guantanamo, only 30 remain – but that is 30 too many. It is for their sake and the sake of justice that we are addressing their plight at the European Parliament to remind the world that these men are not only innocent in the sight of the law, but that each day they remain incarcerated is another day in crimes against humanity.”

 

 

Photo by Guillaume Périgois on Unsplash Photo by Guillaume Périgois on Unsplash

(NOTE: CAGE represents cases of individuals based on the remit of our work. Supporting a case does not mean we agree with the views or actions of the individual. Content published on CAGE may not reflect the official position of our organisation.)