55 Detainees Named in U.S. Government List Should be Released, Transferred

Washington, D.C. – In response to the U.S. Government today naming 55 Guantanamo prisoners cleared for release or transfer, Human Rights First’s Dixon Osburn issued the following statement: “The Obama Administration should immediately exercise the authority it has in the 2012 defense bill to transfer the 55 men who have been identified as cleared for release. There is no reason to deprive men of their liberty when they have been charged with no crime and are not valid law of war detainees. Some countries, like the United Kingdom, have asked for their countrymen to be returned. For the Yemenis, it is unacceptable to continue their detention because their home country is politically fragile.” There are currently 167 detainees held at Guantanamo, a number that includes the 55 on this list. In the wake of today’s list release, Human Rights First calls on the Administration to identify the other approximately 32 detainees who the organization knows have also been cleared for transfer. Each captive held at the facility costs taxpayers approximately $800,000 annually.