On Monday, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) revealed that it had successfully transferred 11 detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Oman.
This significant step marks progress in the ongoing effort to reduce the controversial facility’s population.
Detention Review and Transfer Process
The DOD shared that the Periodic Review Board (PRB) unanimously concluded that the continued detention of these Yemeni individuals was no longer justified.
They determined that these detainees no longer posed a significant threat to national security, and assured that potential risks could be effectively mitigated.
Among those transferred was Sharqawi Abdu Ali Al Hajj, who, according to the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), had been imprisoned without charges for an astonishing 23 years.
The CCR reported that Sharqawi endured CIA torture before arriving in Guantanamo in 2004, and he was known for participating in several hunger strikes in protest of his indefinite detention.
Amnesty International welcomed the DOD’s decision, advocating for President Joe Biden to expedite the transfer of the remaining detainees who have yet to face formal charges.
Executive Orders and Guantanamo’s Population
Of the 11 detainees, ten were released as part of the PRB process established under Executive Order 13567.
This process enables the review of individuals held at Guantanamo under the Authorization for Use of Military Force, while the final detainee, Tawfiq Nasir Awad Al-Bihani, was transferred following the authority granted by Executive Order 13492.
Executive Order 13492, enacted by former President Barack Obama in 2009, aimed at closing the Guantanamo detention center.
Subsequently, in 2011, he introduced Executive Order 13567, which launched a systematic review process led by the PRB to assess whether continued detention was necessary for national security.
After their evaluations, the PRB could either recommend further detention or permit the transfer of a detainee.
Broader U.S. Initiative and International Concerns
This recent transfer is part of a broader U.S. initiative aimed at reducing the number of individuals held at Guantanamo Bay, with the ultimate goal of closing the facility altogether.
This move has effectively reduced Guantanamo’s population by half, with just 15 detainees remaining.
Recently, two individuals were moved to Malaysia in December, and Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi was repatriated to Tunisia.
Opened in 2002 by President George W. Bush in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks, Guantanamo Bay has long been a focal point of international concern and criticism for alleged human rights abuses.
The United Nations Human Rights Council has repeatedly called for its closure, highlighting the ongoing contention surrounding this detention center.
Source: Jurist