Obama must close Guantanamo, says Green MEP

9 January 2009

This Sunday, Jean Lambert will mark the seventh anniversary of the opening
of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility with the London Guantanamo campaign
at a demonstration to be held outside the US Embassy.

The Green Party MEP for London, who was previously named MEP of the Year for
her work on Justice and Human Rights and has campaigned for many years
against the facility, commented:

"It remains to be seen whether President Elect Obama will stick to his word
and close down Guantanamo, but I sincerely hope that this is the last time
that we have to mark this sad anniversary. This facility symbolizes nothing
more than injustice, torture and illegal detention. By denying an effective
and open legal process to detainees at Guantanamo, and other secret prisons
around the world, the current US administration has consistently made a
mockery of human rights.

"What is certain is that the new President will need the backing of
governments around the world if the US is to succeed in finding safe
countries in which to repatriate the many victims of this debacle. I call on
the UK Government to provide its support and encourage EU Member States to
do the same to bring this dreadful chapter to an end.

"After six and a half years of illegal imprisonment and being subjected to
appalling torture, Binyam Mohammed, a former London resident, is still held
in Guantanamo.  The only evidence against him was extracted through torture
and yet he is has been refused a civilian trial. Such treatment is
outrageous.

"The remaining detainees must now be given a fair trial or released to safe
countries. This abuse of human rights has gone on for far too long and must
not be allowed to continue."

The demonstration will take place on Sunday 11 January, from 3-5pm outside
the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. Confirmed speakers include Andy
Worthington (journalist and author of The Guantánamo Files), Jean Lambert
(Green Party MEP), Bruce Kent (Pax Christi), Imam Shakeel Begg (Imam of
Lewisham Mosque) and Mohammed Yahya (hip hop artist).

For more information about events go to http://www.guantanamo.org.uk/ 

Note:

Jean Lambert is one of nine MEPs representing London and one of two UK Green
representatives in the European Parliament. In October 2005 Jean was named
MEP of the year for her work on Justice and Human Rights. Jean was first
elected Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London in the 1999
European elections and was re-elected in 2004.

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