Guantanamo: European Parliament calls for strengthened EU effort to shut down Guantanamo
On the initiative of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, the European Commission and Council will today make their first statement on the situation of prisoners in Guantanamo. Speaking at the debate in the plenary, Green MEP Kathalijne Buitenweg said:
"It is about time that European governments are finally calling for the closure of the detention centre at Guantanamo. It is an outrage that the US is detaining almost 500 individuals, none of whom have been tried before a court of law. The US cannot continue to operate Guantanamo in contravention of international law. However, with the US building new prison blocks there, greater EU pressure is clearly needed.
"The EU must play an active part in finding a solution for those prisoners that the US intends to release but who cannot return to their country, as they risk being tortured there or because they have become stateless. EU Member States must explore the possibility of granting asylum in Europe to some of those released.
"The conditions under which the detainees have been held are deplorable, with abuse and torture widespread. The US has reportedly detained up to 60 children, some of them under 15 years old. Any remaining minors must be released without delay. We also urge the US to finally sign the Convention on the Rights of the Child."
Green MEP Cem Özdemir added:
"Torture and interrogation must be stopped immediately and the UShas to grant UN bodies and human rights organisations unimpeded access to the detention centre at Guantanamo. In addition, the Greens are calling for an ad hoc delegation of the European Parliament to be sent to Guantanamo.
"Those European governments that have been complicit in the abduction and torture of prisoners at Guantanamo must now accept responsibility for their actions and step up their efforts to ensure the detention centre is shut down."
Source: www.greens-efa.org/cms/pressreleases/dok/126/126873.guantanamo@en.htm
