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Austria refuses to accept Guantanamo detainees

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

[JURIST] Austrian Interior Minister Maria Fekter said Monday that the country would not accept released Guantanamo Bay  detainees from the US, according to a report by the Associated Press. Fekter said the detainees could pose a security threat to the European Union (EU) during a meeting of EU leaders in Luxembourg. The leaders convened to discuss a request by US President Barack Obama that EU member states consider accepting  the detainees in order for the military prison to be closed. While each member country of the EU will individually decide whether to accept detainees, they must notify other countries because the 23 member countries share a passport free zone. Earlier this month, French President Nicholas Sarkozy said that his country would accept one detainee in a symbolic effort to aid the closure of the detention center. Other countries such as Britain, Germany, Ireland, and Portugal have also said they would consider accepting released detainees. Other states have expressed reservations about accepting detainees, including Poland and Spain, while Italy and the Netherlands have said they will not accept detainees.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 07, 2009 (boomark / email).