In a statement delivered today by Human Rights Watch, the ICJ joined eight NGOs to draw the Human Rights Council’s attention to the continued detention of individuals for indefinite periods without charge at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.
In a general debate under Item 5 (human rights situations that require the Council’s attention), the statement identified the force-feeding of competent hunger-striking prisoners as a violation against the prohibition against cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and a contravention of medical ethical standards. Fair trial violations involved in the use of military commissions at Guantanamo were recalled. The US Government was urged to bring to an end these illegal practices by either prosecuting detainees by fair trials in civilian courts; or releasing them safely home or to third countries where consistent with non-refoulement obligations, or otherwise to the United States.
The statement was delivered during the Human Rights Council’s 23rd regular session (27 May to 14 June 2013).
HRC23-Item4GD-Guantanamo-LegalSubmission-2013 (download full oral statement in PDF)