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Identities of Guantanamo detainees released to Portugal revealed

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The identities of two former Guantanamo Bay detainees who were released to Portugal last week were revealed Monday in papers filed with the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Mohammad Khan Tumani, who claims that his father is still detained at Guantanamo Bay, accused the US and Pakistan governments of harsh interrogation methods amounting to torture. Tumani, detained for about 10 years, was among five detainees listed in a letter by Human Rights Watch to US Attorney General Eric Holder in March urging him to give the five special attention and expedited trials due to their status as juveniles when they were detained. In addition to the harsh interrogation practices, the letter cites claims from Tumani's lawyers that Tumani attempted suicide while at Guantanamo Bay. The other detainee was Moammar Dokhan, a former Syrian army recruit. Both men are Syrian nationals and neither was ever charged with a crime. The agreement to transfer the detainees was made earlier this month at the request of the US government, making Portugal the third European nation to formally agree to accept Guantanamo detainees. Last month, Ireland announced that it would take two detainees. In May, Algerian Guantanamo detainee Lakhdar Boumediene was released and accepted by France. Last month, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said that the Netherlands would be willing to consider accepting Guantanamo Bay detainees, despite earlier statements to the contrary. In June, the Council of the European Union reached an agreement setting forth the terms of accepting detainees in a way that would minimize any danger posed to other member states.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on September 01, 2009 (boomark / email).