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Afghanistan's 'Guantanamo' poses new prison problem for Barack Obama

By John Hirst

Afghanistan's 'Guantanamo' poses new prison problem for Barack Obama

As Guantanamo Bay prepares to close, President Barack Obama will have to deal with a new problem with suspected terrorist detainees, this time at Bagram in Afghanistan.

More than 600 detainees are held at the US Bagram Theatre Internment Facility - known by campaigners as "the other Guantanamo". Not only are there no plans to close it, but it is in the process of being expanded to hold 1,100 illegal enemy combatants; prisoners who cannot see lawyers, have no trials and never see any evidence there may be against them...

...According to human rights lawyers the prison also holds scores of innocent people, many seized after tip-offs from feuding tribal rivals. The alleged offences are never tested in court.

Good morning Mr President, I trust you slept well? I suppose you are a very busy man starting a new job and all that. Sorting out the priorities. I would have thought that tackling this large scale human rights abuse committed by America under the Bush regime might be a good starting point. Whilst this blot on the landscape is present America the land of the free from universal condemnation is not possible. It remains for me to say, sort it.

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on January 25, 2009 (boomark / email).