OSCE/ODIHR Director Link welcomes latest attempt by US President Obama to bring about closure of Guantanamo Bay detention facility

WARSAW, 24 February, 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today welcomed the move by United States President Barack Obama to send to Congress a plan to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

“I strongly welcome this step by President Obama, and commend his efforts to bring about the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay,” the ODIHR Director said. “I further call on other OSCE participating States to support the United States in these efforts.”

“It is my hope that President Obama’s plan can provide the basis for the closure of Guantanamo. Any measure to close the detention facility should put an end to indefinite detention without charge or trial,” he said. “Detainees should either be released or transferred to the United States mainland to be tried before civilian courts in line with international fair trial standards.”

Director Link stressed that ODIHR has called for the closure of the facility on a number of occasions in the past, including in November 2015, when it issued its report on the Human Rights Situation of the Detainees at Guantanamo.

In its main findings, the report called on the United States to close the facility to thoroughly and impartially investigate past human rights violations, including torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.