Brussels, 04/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - ON Wednesday 4 February, MEPs launched a timid appeal to European capitals to take in former Guantánamo inmates. A delegation of EU representatives, inlcuding European Commissioner Jacques Barrot, Czech Home Affairs Minister Ivan Langer and EU Anti-terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove will travel to Washington on 16-17 March to find out what exactly the new US administration is seeking.
In a joint resolution, adapted in Strasbourg by 542 votes to 55, with 51 abstentions, the European Parliament (EP) welcomed President Obama's decision to close Guantánamo prison camp, and noted that the main responsibility for the closing and for the future of the prisoners rested with the United States. In particular, MEPs called on member states to work together to find solutions and to be prepared to take in Guantánamo detainees, if Washington were to ask for that. Member states also had a duty to consult one another over possible repercussions for public safety throughout the EU, they added. MEPs affirmed that the responsibility for respect for international law and fundamental rights rested with all democratic countries, particularly the EU and its member states, which together represented a community of values. They called on the United States to ensure that Guantánamo detainees were granted their human rights and fundamental freedoms. On the situation of detainees, MEPs said that detainees against whom the United States has sufficient evidence should properly be tried without delay and, if convicted, imprisoned in the United States. “Those who are not to be charged and cannot be repatriated, because of a real risk of torture or persecution in his home country, should be given the opportunity to be admitted to the United States and afforded redress,” the resolution says. Those not charged and willing to go back voluntarily to their home country should be able to do so as quickly as possible, says the resolution.
Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, the United States, in January 2002, established a high-security detention facility at Guantánamo Bay where terrorist suspects were detained. The inmates were denied their fundamental human rights, including the right to a fair trial, and have been subjected to harsh interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, which amount to torture and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment. Over the last seven years, around 800 people have been detained. Currently there remain 242 inmates in Guantánamo and 62 of them will need to be resettled. Among these 62, 17 are Chinese-Muslim prisoners from the Uighur ethnic minority. Others come from Afghanistan (1), Algeria (10), Azerbaijan (1), Egypt (1), Ethiopia (1), Libya (6), Palestine (3), Russia (1), Syria (9), Tajikistan (1), Tunisia (10) and Uzbekistan (4). (B.C./transl.rt)