CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

US to Ignore Guantanamo Detainees

Washington , Jan 4 /2005 (Prensa Latina) The US Justice Department has urged Federal judges to ignore cases involving detainees held at the naval base in Guantanamo , Cuba .

The New York Times reported that the list includes more than 160 cases and at least 300 detainees whose current status is in question.

The measure is considered an administration move to quickly take advantage of an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Law Bush signed Friday.

The amendment would eliminate habeas corpus hearings for the detainees from Federal Court; the only tool the Supreme Court gave those prisoners in 2004 to question their confinement.

The clause gave the detainees the right to request habeas corpus from any Federal Court to demand government explanation for their prolonged detention.

Prisoners' attorneys voiced their opposition to the Justice Department request since the amendment should apply to new cases not old ones.

The Times believes the issue must be settled either in the Appellate Court or the Supreme Court.

The prison population in Guantanamo ranges from 550 to 750 people, including several minors, who are suffering inhumane treatment as part of the war on terror promoted by Washington .

Reporters Judi K-Turkel and Franklynn Peterson wrote for Wisconsin 's Madison Capital Times that the prisoners are held in conditions you would describe as cruel if done to a dog or a cat.

 

<< Back