Letter from Amnesty International's Noa Kleinman, expressing concern over the non-disclosure of names/country of origin of thirteen Guantanamo detainees who were transferred for release. The letter urges the disclosure of the information. The letter also expresses concern over allegations that children, as young as thirteen, are being held at Guantanamo.
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AMNESTY INTERNA TIONAL UK SECTION
AMERJCAS WORLD REGION
41I Noa Kleinman Co·ordinatOf fOI North America (USCAN): tcUfax +44 (0)12"14 818219 6 Coeden Street Queensbury, Bradford, West YorK~hlre BO 13 1BS, UK email: noa(ti1k\elnmall,lrees6Ne.co.uk
'AMNES,~,·YI
INTERNt\itO~"1.1
President George W. Bush
IINITt'n ~N:;IO!d
I
Tha \Nhlte House
'-----
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20500
USA
RELEASED IN FULL
May 14.2003
Dear President Bush:
I welcome the news that 13 of the detainees held at the US Naval Base In Guan1anamo Bay
were transfe"ed tor release on May 7 2003 DUt I am concemed that the Department of
Defense has deClined to give the names Of countries of origin Qf th~e released. In view of
the International concern about thes.e tlelalnees ilnd In particular that a number of juveniles
are among those held, I urge that more Information about those released be given. I hope to
learn that the children are among them.
Reports that children. some as young as 13. were dfscovered to be at Guantanamo Bay
earlier t,,15 year are extremely disquieting. As In thE) case of the 16-year old Canadian
national, Omar Khadr. Who was alreaClY Known to be In custody at Guant~namo, these
children appear to have been IransferreCl from the Bagram Air Base. VVhlle It Is good news
that the younger children are 8t least not being held In ISOlation cella. It 15 a matter ot serious
concern that anyone under 18, the definition of a child under intemational standards. should
be held In Indefinite detentlon at a remote location like GuantQnamo Bay.
International law requires that children should be incarcerated only as a last resort and then for the minimum time pO!lslble. The faer: tllat detainee.. have been helO without access to
lawyers, their families or the courts. cannot be In the best Interests of the children. In the
casa 01 omar Knaor, It tOOit 6 month:. for the Canadian government to gain access to him
and my unde,-,tandlng 15 that he remains wilt! accetl8 to legal counselor hit; family.
If any juvenile detainees Hre not arnong those who have been released from detention. I urge that they are given immediate access to lawyers and their families and that their treatment should be in accordance with the special needs of children. They should be prompuy charged and «1ed within a reasonable time and if it Is proved that any of them have served 35 soldiers ttlelr treatment be In accord with ttle rehabilitation of child soldiers which the USA has an Intematlonal obligation to observe.
Yours 81ncerely
J /y',1;'(.~,",-~,-,
Noa Kleinman
PilTED STATES DEPART.'I Ei\T OF ST.·HE REVIEW AlTHORIT\': FR:V~K E SCH\IELZER
DATE/CASE 10: 30 SEP 200"' 200303827
UNCLASSIFIED
D05-000254