New York Times editorial drills in facts on Khadr trial, and military commissions

The New York Times ran an editorial today on the controversial military commissions proceedings against Omar Khadr, the child soldier held at Guantanamo now for eight years, noting that the Obama Administration–if it wants to prove that military tribunals are more fitting than federal courts for certain cases–is off to “a very poor start.”

As a regular attendant at Khadr’s and other military commissions hearings, Human Rights First can’t help but agree–and we’ve been making the case for months now.

The editorial also mentions the controversy around the administration’s decision to bar four journalists from the proceedings–for “revealing” the identity of a witness that had been known for years. The administration needs to fix this. Human Rights First coordinated a letter to the Department of Defense, signed by several other prominent rights groups, urging that it reconsider this decision. We are awaiting action.