The Tide is Turning in the Fight to Close Guantanamo

By Human Rights First's Sharon Kelly, cross-posted from Huffington Post:

Yesterday, a heated debate took place on the Senate floor over an amendment proposed by Senator Lindsey Graham that would have prevented the 9/11 defendants from facing justice in U.S. federal courts. It did not pass. In a major victory for our campaign to close Guantanamo (link) the Senate rejected this attempt to derail Guantanamo’s closure and prevent the United States from rebuilding our reputation.

The voices of dozens of retired military leaders, experienced prosecutors, correctional officers, and committed activists who all want to see Guantanamo swiftly closed – and understand that our institutions are up to the job of dealing with terrorist suspects -- is starting to break through and be heard by Congress. As we await the announcement of President Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo, we can be hopeful that the tide of fear-mongering that has muddied this debate is being to ebb.

Victories like this take work. Last night on the Senate floor, Senator Patrick Leahy pointed to the bipartisan declaration signed by 120 prominent Americans including former Members of Congress, high-ranking military officials and judges, that Human Rights First partnered with the Constitution Project to organize. As today’s Wall Street Journal noted, “Hours after the petition’s release, the Senate rejected an amendment that would have barred prosecuting Guantanamo inmates in federal court.”

Also yesterday, Human Rights First travelled to Michigan where a debate has been underway over whether Guantanamo detainees will be sent to the Standish prison facility. Two retired military leaders who travelled there with us had their message of support for closing Guantanamo appear in an op-ed published in the Detroit Free Press. Most importantly, this victory took the help of people all across the country. Within hours of sounding the alarm, thousands took action, sending messages to their Senators letting them know that they opposed this destructive amendment.

Join us in this important effort to make sure Guantanamo is closed. You can sign up to help and stay informed on our website and on Facebook.

The Defense Authorization Act, and Military Commissions vs. Federal Courts

A Washington Independent article discussing the consequences of the Defense Authorization Act passed Wednesday, and the continued use of military commissions. It rightly compares the track record of our federal courts vs. military commissions, in prosecuting terrorism cases, citing Human Rights First In Pursuit of Justice reports:

A study conducted by former prosecutors for Human Rights First, for example, found that civilian federal courts had successfully prosecuted more than 214 terrorism cases since September 11, 2001. Prosecutors won 195 convictions, and successfully handled the challenges of unavailable witnesses, classified evidence, undercover informants and other complexities that arise in terrorism cases, the report found. By contrast, the military commissions created by President Bush after the 9/11 attacks and subsequently authorized by Congress tried only three cases.

We should use our federal courts. Join our Guantanamo campaign to get more involved.

Advances on Guantánamo

Two advances on Guantánamo this week:

• Despite intensive fear mongering on Capitol Hill, the Senate passed a homeland security appropriations conference report this week that, although it places some restrictions on transfers, allows for transfers for trial in U.S. civilian courts. The President is expected to sign the bill soon.
• The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the case of the Chinese Uighur detainees who cannot be repatriated to China because of the risk of torture or other abuse, and who the Defense Department concedes do not pose a threat to the United States.

Although these are important steps forward, the battle is far from won - there are still restrictions in the bill, and some lawmakers continue to put up roadblocks to trying terrorists in the U.S. civilian justice system. For example, last week, Senator Lindsey Graham introduced an amendment on a bill that would prohibit funding trials of alleged 9/11 conspirators in U.S. courts.

Senator Graham's amendment is at odds with the recommendations of senior retired military leaders who advise that the use of civilian courts to try the 9/11 alleged conspirators is in the best interest of U.S. national security. Click here to read a letter to President Obama from four retired military leaders, admirals and generals, urging him to seek prosecutions in civilian courts.

Write your representatives to let them know that you support closing Guantánamo - they need to know that public support is behind it!

Mukasey is Wrong: Op-ed in Wall Street Journal ignores the facts

In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal today, Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey argues that federal courts are not the place to try terrorist suspects.

Thing is, Human Rights First has published two in-depth studies - In Pursuit of Justice - of the federal courts' history in trying terrorism cases, and the facts are that our courts can handle these cases. Read more.

Hidden Justice in Afghanistan

Check out this piece in the AfPak Channel of Foreign Policy written by Human Rights First's Sahr MuhammedAlly, who speaks of the recent Bagram reforms and next steps.

Sahr has conducted comprehensive research and interviews with former Bagram detainees in two separate missions. In this opinion piece, Sahr discusses further steps the U.S. government can take to address the broad range of problems associated with detentions in Afghanistan to avoid arbitrary detention and reverse the trend of decreasing support to U.S. military operations there.

Read her commentary! Read more about detentions in Afghanistan here, including Human Rights First's Arbitrary Justice report.

News on the Torture Front, with Elisa Massimino's comments in the Washington Post

Check out HRF CEO Elisa Massimino’s commentary about yesterday’s torture news in the Washington Post.

To read more, there is a good roundup of the news in the Raw Story, and the full CIA Inspector General report is available in the Washington Independent.

News from the Task Force on Interrogations: Army Field Manual is Enough

The Special Task Force on Interrogation and Transfer Policies today concluded that the Army Field Manual is enough to serve as the single standard for humane interrogation.

Human Rights First has been advocating for this for years. Read our press release - issued with our coalition of retired military leaders.

General Charles Krulak, who served as Commandant of the Marine Corps, says:

Implementation of the Task Force's recommendation to maintain a single
standard of humane interrogation for all U.S. agencies will be essential to the
safety of our troops and to the success of our counterinsurgency efforts.

General Says Many Bagram Detainees Not a Threat

Maj. Gen. Doug Stone issued a report that calls for the release of as many as 400 detainees from the Bagram detention facility in Afghanistan. Read the story in NPR, which quotes HRF's Sahr MuhammedAlly, who has received a briefing from the general on his report:

'I think Gen. Stone's recommendations focus a lot on how to process people
out of Bagram sooner,' she says. MuhammedAlly says Stone also urges reforms to
the detention system 'to reduce chances they will join up with the insurgency by
offering skills training programs and rehabilitation programs.'