Guantanamo prisoners must not be trapped by inaction

10.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 28th Feb 2008

The European Parliament is today holding a hearing on Guantanamo Bay organised jointly by its Civil Liberties committee and Human Rights sub-committee, to discuss the current legal state of play in American courts as well as finding safe havens for about 50 detainees who cannot be returned to their countries of origin for fear of persecution or torture or found a home because they are stateless.

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman, who is a vice-chair of the Human Rights subcommittee and originally proposed the hearing, commented:

"Today's hearing will highlight the shocking 6-year failure by the United States to respect the rule of law by continuing the use of kangaroo courts and holding hundreds of detainees in a legal blackhole. While the Supreme Court may again uphold the right to habeas corpus and the illegality of arbitrary detention, for the prisoners 'justice delayed is justice denied'. In the meantime, many are suffering cruel ill-treatment and even torture."

"But the European Union cannot turn its back on an opportunity to live up to its human rights principles. Galling as it is to have to pick up the pieces from a US disaster, EU member states must carry through the logic of their call for the closure of Guantanamo and offer refugee or humanitarian resettlement of detainees who languish in Guantanamo because they have no safe country to return to. It is time for Europe to muster the political will and help America finally close this shameful chapter of history."

You can watch a short video explaining the problems associated with Guantanamo Bay and the role of the hearing in the European Parliament here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sVuRfW3Tx8&feature=PlayList&p=03E13F0FDC5CBDF4&index=5