This letter is from Ann Clwyd, Member of the British Parliament on behalf of an All-Party Parliamentary Human Group expressing concern over treatment of detainees held at Guantanamo. She voices concern over the "legal limbo" the detainees are in and the possibility that they may be tried by military commissions. She also states that it is her understanding that the detainees may be suffering from depression and mentions the suicide attempts that were reported. She asks that the detainees be brought before a tribunal to face charges or be released.
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15 August, 2002
Mr. Glyn Davies
Minister
Embassy of the United States
RELEASED IN FULL
24 Grosvenor Square •
London WI A I All
Dear Mr. Davies,
I am writing in" my capacity as Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group fiarther to the Group's continuing concerns relating to the treatment of prieonera held byUS Forces in Guantanamo Bey.
I understand that almost 600 people are being detained in Guantanamo Bay at the presenttime, with plans to build facilities for even greater numbers of prisoners. I, and other members in the Group, am particularly concerned about the legal limbo in which these prisoners are currently ensnared. The U.S. Government has denied that the Geneva Conventions apply, and it has recently been ruled that the United States Come have no jurisdiction over prisoners there. That more than half a year of intensive interrogation has not enabled U.S. officials to establish that most, if in fact, any, of the prisoners arehigh-level Al-Qaida operatives or senior Taliban officials must put pay to the argument that all these detainees must be denied their fundatneettal rights because of the extreme
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Although there have been reports that the U.S. Governments is planning to bring theseprisoners before a military tribunal to face charges at some point in the allure, there has as yet been no indication of when mob proceedings will begin. In fhct, it would seemthat the U.S.. authorities are singularly focused on the continued interrogation of the captives, with the detainees facing detention for an indeterminate period.
Not surprisingly, given this coowlete leek of uncsasintv as regards their status and fate,?? many prisoners are allegedly • -n•• ins from severe depression, with some 12_ meed reportedly having been attempted. Those against whom there is no evidence of terrenat
Ann Ciwytt MP . „Chair 1-9r.c.i#ObLITY • , Chair
Jer emy.C.orbyn.MF!.. . Vice Chair
Robert Walter•Mr . vice Chair Sitio Morgan AAP' • Secretary
Merle Oaten MA" Treasurer
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: HARRY R MELONE
DOS-000723
UNCLASSIFIED
DATE/CASE ID: 26 NOV 2004 200303827
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involVement or rznnection with the upper echelons of the Taliban regime should be released as soon as possible.
More generally, it is time that the U.S. Government give a clear lead as to how long all of these prisoners will be detained and when each of them is likely to be brought before a tribunal to face specific charges. That the U.K. authorities have had to release Mr. Lofti Bassi following the lack of evidence forthcoming from the FBI and than the initial suspicions about the activities of Mr. Padilla, a U.S. citizen held in military detention, appear to have been unfounded would seem to emphasize the importance of having the
detention of all suspects subject to proper judicial scrutiny.
I am hopeful that the U.S. Government will realize how damaging their stance as regardsthe prisoners is to their international standing as protector of fundamental rights and freedoms and to the fate of these being held arbitrarily by a number of dictatorial regimes. Ultimately, its stance may also undermine the fight against terrorism itself and the security of all Americans.
I look forward to receiving your cotrunents on the matters raised in this latitz.
Yours sincerely,
C.110-4/trek-)
ANN CLWYD MP
DOS-000724
UNCLASSIFIED. .