Council of Europe Condemns U.S. Over Guantanamo

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Council of Europe Condemns U.S. Over Guantanamo

 

 

 

 

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-europe-guantanamo,0,39\

17800.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

 

Rights Group Condemns U.S. Over Guantanamo

By JAN SLIVA

Associated Press Writer

 

April 26, 2005, 8:00 PM EDT

 

STRASBOURG, France -- Europe's human rights body condemned the United

States on Tuesday for using what it termed " torture " on terror

suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and it called on European

countries not to cooperate in interrogating Guantanamo detainees.

 

A Pentagon spokesman said the United States was running " a safe,

humane and professional detention operation at Guantanamo that is

providing valuable information in the war on terror. "

 

In a resolution, the Council of Europe also urged the United States to

cease the practice of secret detentions and to investigate all

instances of unlawful treatment of detainees at the naval base in

eastern Cuba.

 

" The circumstances surrounding detentions by the USA at Guantanamo Bay

show unlawfulness on grounds including the torture and cruel, inhuman

or degrading treatment of detainees, " said the resolution, adopted by

the Council's Parliamentary Assembly.

 

While supporting the United States in its efforts to fight terrorism,

the resolution said Washington had " betrayed its own highest

principles in the zeal with which it has attempted to pursue the war

on terror. "

 

The U.S. government has denied using torture at the base, but

investigations into alleged abuse there are ongoing.

 

" U.S. policy condemns and prohibits torture, " Pentagon spokesman Lt.

Cmdr. Flex Plexico said. " U.S. personnel are required to follow this

policy and applicable law. "

 

He said Guantanamo detainees receive adequate shelter and clothing,

culturally appropriate meals, the Quran, prayer beads, access to mail

and reading materials, and medical care.

 

Also Tuesday, the Pentagon announced it transferred two Guantanamo

detainees to the custody of the government of Belgium. It released no

details on their identities.

 

About 520 prisoners remain at Guantanamo. Some 234 have left: 167 have

been released outright, and 67 have been transferred to the control of

other governments: 29 to Pakistan, nine to the United Kingdom, seven

each to France and Russia, five to Morocco, four to Saudi Arabia, two

to Belgium and one each to Spain, Sweden, Kuwait and Australia.

 

Detainees are released when they are determined no longer to pose a

threat and to have no further intelligence value, the Pentagon says.

 

" What we see in Guantanamo has nothing to do with justice, " council

member Boris Oliynik said. " The conditions there are medieval. "

 

The resolution also criticizes the practice of " rendition, " or

removing suspects to other countries without judicial supervision for

purposes of interrogation or detention.

 

It also calls on European countries to refuse to comply with U.S.

requests for extradition of terrorist suspects to the camp and urges

the United States to stop violating Guantanamo detainees' rights

relating to their status as prisoners of war.

 

" The situation of prisoners at Guantanamo is very far from acceptable

international standards, " said Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the

Russian Duma's international affairs committee and member of the

Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly.

 

" Those who fought under the Taliban flag against the United States

should be granted POW status. "

Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

 

 

 

 

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