US Department of Defense transfers 11 Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Oman News
© WikiMedia (Gino Reyes)
US Department of Defense transfers 11 Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Oman

The US Department of Defense (DOD) announced on Monday the transfer of 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantanamo Bay prison to Oman, marking a significant step in reducing the population of the detention facility.

The DOD stated that the Periodic Review Board (PRB) “determined by consensus” that the detention of the Yemeni prisoners under the law of war was no longer necessary as the prisoners did not continue to pose a significant national security threat. The DOD added that any potential risk from the prisoners could be adequately mitigated.

Among those transferred was Sharqawi Abdu Ali Al Hajj, who, according to the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), has been held for 23 years without being charged with any crime. The CCR also noted that Sharqawi was subject to torture by the CIA before being sent to Guantanamo prison in 2004, where he conducted several hunger strikes in protest of his indefinite detention. Amnesty International welcomed the DOD’s decision to release him and the other prisoners, urging US President Joe Biden to transfer the remaining Guantanamo detainees who haven’t been charged with crimes.

Ten of the detainees were transferred through the PRB process established by Executive Order 13567, titled “Periodic Review of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station Pursuant to the Authorization for the Use of Military Force.” The remaining detainee, named Tawfiq Nasir Awad Al-Bihani, was transferred under Executive Order 13492.

Executive Order 13492 was issued by former President Barack Obama in 2009 and ordered the closure of detention facilities at US Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. Obama also signed Executive Order 13567 in 2011, which established a periodic review process to be conducted by the PRB. The latter provides an administrative process to assess whether the detention of an individual at Guantanamo is necessary to protect the national security of the US. After its review, the PRB can either recommend continued detention under the law of war or authorize the detainee’s transfer.

The decision on Monday is part of ongoing efforts by the US to reduce the number of individuals detained in Guantanamo, paving the way for the eventual closure of the detention facility. With this transfer, the DOD reduced the number of detainees at Guantanamo Bay by half, leaving only 15 detainees in the detention center. This follows the recent transfers of two detainees to Malaysia in December and the repatriation of detainee Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi to Tunisia.

Guantanamo Bay is a US military prison located at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba. It was established by President George W. Bush in 2002 in response to the al-Qaeda attacks against the US on September 11, 2001. The detention facility has faced consistent international criticism over claims of human rights abuses from rights groups and international organizations. The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, for instance, has called for its closure.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Watergate burglary trial began

On January 8, 1973, seven men went on trial in Washington DC in connection with a June 17, 1972 break-in to Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate Hotel. Read more about the Watergate burglary and cover-up.

France approves self-determination for Algeria

On January 8, 1961, voters in France overwhelmingly approved self-determination for Algeria. By a 75 percent margin, French citizens voted in favor of a referendum which allowed the colony of Algeria to determine its own future. On July 1, 1961, Algerians elected to become an independent nation by a near-unanimous margin. These events concluded nearly a decade of fighting in the French-Algerian War. Learn more about the history of the French-Algerian War.