In the most recent Amnesty Urgent Action letter, the TRU Students’ Union wrote to President Donald Trump, urging the United States’ authorities to immediately acknowledge the grave human rights violations that have been committed at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp over the past 25 years and to ensure all detentions and legal proceedings comply with international human rights law and fair trial standards. The letter also calls on President Trump to end the use of indefinite detention without charge or trial at Guantánamo Bay.
“Human rights are non-negotiable. Allowing the infringement of rights for anyone means opening them up for debate for everyone. These urgent actions illustrate the efficacy of solidarity work,” said Jessica Guthier, TRUSU Women’s Representative.
Nearly 800 men have been held at Guantánamo as “law of war” detainees, and today, 15 remain. Three men remain imprisoned despite US authorities having neither charged them nor approved them for transfer. Another three men have never faced charges but have been approved for transfer through an executive review process that assesses whether the government believes continued detention remains necessary rather than whether the detention itself is lawful. Muieen Adeen Abd al Sattar and Ismael Ali Faraj al Bakush are two men who have remained imprisoned for years, despite the authorities approving their transfer. Guled Hassan Duran, another man being held at Guantánamo, has waited years for justice; repeated petitions and appeals to higher courts have not resulted in his transfer, despite a 2021 executive review process concluding that his continued detention was no longer necessary.
Almost 25 years have passed since the first detainees arrived at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp in 2002 as part of the United States’ “war on terror” following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Amnesty International notes that from the beginning, the detentions have violated international human rights law, and violations continue to this day. Successive US governments have entrenched the practice of indefinite detention. In 2012, the US Congress reinforced this approach through the National Defense Authorization Act by reaffirming “law of war” detention rather than questioning it. Commitments made to repeal laws used to justify detention at Guantánamo Bay have not been realized.
“At the end of the day, it is our obligation to one another to stand up for human rights for everyone. Whether we are in the same town or across the world, it impacts us all,” said Guthier.
While the United States recently marked the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Guantánamo Bay is approaching its 25-year anniversary. The Union hopes the US authorities will take urgent action to comply with human rights and bring justice to the detainees who have had their rights infringed for years.
We await a response from President Trump on this urgent matter.
For More Information
The Amnesty Urgent Actions Program allows the Union to take action regarding international human rights injustices that matter to students. Click this link to see injustices we have addressed previously, and for further information about this issue or to see a copy of the letter, contact the Equity Coordinator below.