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Spain to take two Guantanamo Bay detainees

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

[JURIST] A Spanish foreign ministry official confirmed Monday that Spain will be accepting two detainees currently being held at Guantanamo Bay. One of the detainees is said to be of Yemeni origin, while the nationality of the other was not released. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said last week that an agreement between Spain and the US was close to completion in anticipation of the transfer. The detainees are expected to be transferred to Spain over the next few weeks. Spain is the most recent in a string of countries worldwide that have agreed to take in detainees from Guantanamo Bay, as the US administration attempts to empty the facility. Last month, Switzerland agreed to take one Uzbek detainee, and has expressed willingness to take two more. Also last month, 12 more detainees were transferred to their home governments, and detainees were transferred to Palau, Kuwait, and several European countries. The transfer to Spain comes at the request of the Obama administration, which initially requested that Spain take as many as four detainees last June as part of the administration's plan to close the facility. Closure was initially due by January 22, 2010, but President Obama recently confirmed that this deadline would not be met. The administration has run into several hurdles in closing the prison, including opposition from members of Congress and the suspension of detainee transfers to Yemen. In November, the Center for American Progress issued a report blaming missteps by the Obama administration for the delay.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 18, 2010 (boomark / email).