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Spain weighing US request to take 4 Guantanamo detainees

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

[JURIST] Spain will consider accepting four Guantanamo Bay detainees at the request of the US government, foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said Wednesday. Before Spain responds to the request, Moratinos said that the government will consider the charges against the prisoners, determine whether accepting them will pose any problems with other countries, and consider other legal ramifications involved in their acceptance. Additionally, the Spanish government said that the prisoners in question must be willing to be transferred to the country. US special envoy for the closure of the detention facility Daniel Fried presented the request to representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice in Madrid. The request follows a recent joint agreement between the US and the European Union (EU), which specifies terms for EU countries accepting Guantanamo detainees. On Monday, a spokesperson for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said that Italy would be willing to accept up to three detainees, having previously said that it was unwilling to do so. Last week, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg sent a letter to all member states urging them to welcome certain released detainees. The Spanish government's consideration of potential problems with other countries in accepting the four detainees is likely due to an agreement made earlier this month which set forth consultation and information sharing requirements to minimize any danger posed to other member states.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on June 18, 2009 (boomark / email).