Disregard for human rights makes poor counter-terrorism policy, OSCE human rights head says

WARSAW, 11 January 2020 – Eighteen years after the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) once more repeats its call for the closure of the camp and full compliance with international human rights standards, which are essential in order to counter terrorism effectively and sustainably.

“Terrorist threats are manifold across the OSCE, as well as in the many conflict regions beyond”, said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. “But upholding human rights is not a matter of choice – it is a legal obligation. We have already learnt at a high cost that a lack of regard for international law does not increase security but undermines it, whatever the past track record of the country in which it occurs. At the same time, we must be clear that repeated violations of international human rights standards risk triggering further violence.”

Since opening on 11 January 2002, a total of 780 detainees have passed through the detention camp. Most of them were kept without charge or trial, while many inmates were brought to Guantanamo from CIA ‘black sites’ around the world where they were secretly held and tortured.

Today, 40 people remain in the detention camp. Of these, five have been cleared for release since at least 2016, while 26 are being held indefinitely without charge or trial. Nine detainees are facing or have faced military trials, which have been criticized internationally for failing to comply with fair trial guarantees.

In its Report on the Human Rights Situation of Detainees at Guantanamo, ODIHR identified a number of serious human rights violations in connection with the operation of the camp and the treatment of detainees. On this basis, ODIHR has consistently advocated its closure and urged the US authorities to either bring the remaining detainees to trial in procedures that fully meet international standards, or free them without further delay. ODIHR has also called on the authorities to investigate all human rights violations committed there and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.