US transfers 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantanamo Bay prison to Oman
Al Jazeera
Amnesty International welcomed the transfer but said Guantanamo would remain a ‘glaring, longstanding stain’ on human rights in the US.
The United States has transferred 11 Yemeni detainees from its notorious Guantanamo Bay detention centre to Oman after holding them for more than two decades without charge as part of Washington’s so-called “war on terror”.
“The United States appreciates the willingness of the government of Oman and other partners to support ongoing US efforts focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guantanamo Bay facility,” the US Department of Defense said in a statement on Monday evening.
The US-based Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) said that among the 11 detainees transferred to Oman this week, was Sharqawi al-Hajj, who had undergone repeated hunger strikes and hospitalisations at Guantanamo to protest his 21 years in prison, which came after two years of detention and torture by the CIA.
“Our thoughts are with Mr Al Hajj as he transitions to the free world after almost 23 years in captivity. His release is hopeful for him and for us,” said Pardiss Kebriaei, a lawyer at CCR who represents al-Hajj.
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