Bush admin holds detainees for seven years without charges

[Dan.Linehan]

Bush admin held five detainees for seven years without charges at Guantanamo.. they were finally released today, based on the court's finding that there was no credible evidence that the 5 detainees ever intended to take up arms against the U.S.

So, seven years, for doing nothing wrong, with no charges filed. Sickening.


Five detainees ordered released "forthwith" after seven years at Guantanamo - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com

Here are a couple quotes from the article.

These 5 detainees were able to be heard in federal court only because the U.S. Supreme Court in the Boumediene case last June -- in a ruling John McCain called "one of the worst decisions in the history of this country" -- struck down as unconstitutional Section 7 of the Military Commissions Act, which had purported to abolish habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees and prohibit them from challenging their detention in a federal court.

If the members of Congress who voted for the Military Commissions Act had their way (see them here and here), or if the four Supreme Court Justices in the Boumediene minority had theirs, the Bush administration would nonetheless have been empowered to keep them encaged indefinitely, for the rest of their lives if desired, without ever having to charge them with any crime or allow them to step foot into a courtroom to petition for habeas corpus.

[Dan.Linehan]

This included solitary confinement as well..

Trapped at Guantanamo

[wachusettgirl]

Bush's "exemption" represents a move backward for the US, and goes against our founding documents, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Security has taken over the rights of humans. In the future there should be War Powers Resolution Restrictions on executive power circumventing Congress. The treatment of prisoners has been put outside the rule of law, they haven't had rights of legal review, attornies, or any habius corpus.
The use of torture is wrong, it de-humanizes us, it represents the opposite of freedom. Hopefully the next administration's detention policy will restore some moral leadership.

[Poster]

They are something, aren't they. At least as a small consolation, the detainees should know we've been stuck with this idiot and his cast for 8 years, and they can take slightly more comfort in the fact that we chose our fate.

Of course I'm being sarcastic. I don't mean to diminish the cruelty and injustice visited on these folks and the rest of those innocent people who've suffered at the hands of these criminals we've let run our country lately. My heart goes out to them and their loved ones.

[Barcs]

This kind of thing makes my stomach turn. I really hope that this changes with Obama in power. There's absolutely no excuse to hold someone 7 years with no charges.

[ar81]

Without justice you can't have democracy.
This week in BBC program "Doha debate", people in Qatar felt pride of their system, as they say West have been losing rights.

[funchy]

I agree detaining people without charges or evidence is extremely wrong.

What scares me are the diehard Bush supporters who back him. I have one friend who insists we "needed" to do this to protect our country's freedom. But isn't the very basis of freedom and democracy that the citizens aren't locked in prision for years with no trial or charges ?

[wachusettgirl]

Salim Hamdan, former driver and bodyguard of bin Laden has been repatriated, and will serve the remainder of his time in a Yemeni prison.