The United States Department of Defense acknowledges holding Tunisian detainees in Guantanamo.[1] A total of 779 detainees have been held in extrajudicial detention in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba since the camps opened on January 11, 2002 The camp population peaked in 2004 at approximately 660. Only nineteen new detainees, all "high value detainees" have been transferred there since the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Rasul v. Bush.[2] As of December 2024[update], 27 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.[3] By July 2012 the camp held 168 captives.
On February 24, 2010, Carol Rosenberg, of the Miami Herald, reported that Albania accepted the transfer of three former detainees, a Tunisian, Saleh Bin Hadi Asasi and Sharif Fati Ali al Mishad and Rauf Omar Mohammad Abu al Qusin, an Egyptian, and a Libyan.[2][4][5] The men will not be allowed to leave Albania.
On July 27, 2012, Tunisia Live asserted the five remaining Tunisian captives would be repatriated by the end of 2012.[6]
Previously, the risk of torture under the Ben Ali regime meant the five Tunisian detainees could not safely return home. Now, with Tunisia's democratic transition in full effect, there is nothing to prevent these Tunisian citizens returning to their country.[7]
Tunisian detainees in Guantanamo
edit| isn | name | arrival date |
departure date |
notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Ridah Bin Saleh Al Yazidi | 2002-01-12 | ||
| 46 | Salah Bin Al Hadi Asasi | 2002-01-20 | 2010-02-24 | Transferred to Albania[8] |
| 148 | Adil Ben HMIDA Mabrouk | 2002-02-09 | 2009-11-30 | Transferred to Italy for criminal prosecution |
| 168 | Adel bin Ibrahim Hkiml | [9] | 2014-12-30 | Transferred to Kazakhstan |
| 174 | Hisham Sliti | 2002-05-01 | 2014-11-20 | Transferred to Slovakia |
| 502 | Abdul Bin Mohammed Bin Abess Ourgy | 2002-05-01 | 2014-12-08 | granted asylum in Uruguay |
| 510 | Riyad Bil Mohammed Tahir Nasseri | 2002-06-08 | 2009-11-30 | Transferred to Italy for criminal prosecution |
| 660 | Lufti Bin Swei Lagha | 2002-06-14 | 2007-06-17 | |
| 717 | Abdul Haddi Bin Hadiddi | 2002-08-05 | 2010-03-23 | Transferred to Georgia |
| 721 | Abdullah Bin Omar | 2002-08-05 | 2007-06-17 | |
| 892 | Rafiq Bin Bashir Bin Jalud Al Hami | 2003-02-07 | 2010-01-24 | Transferred to Slovakia |
| 894 | Lufti Bin Ali | 2003-02-07 | 2014-12-30 | Transferred to Kazakhstan |
References
edit- ^
"List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 2006-05-15.
Works related to List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006 at Wikisource
- ^ a b
"Guantanamo four arrive in Europe". BBC News. 2010-02-24. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
A Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan were sent to Albania, while a Palestinian was sent to Spain. The Palestinian is the first of five inmates that Spain has agreed to take. Albania has taken eight detainees.
- ^ "The Guantánamo Docket". The New York Times. 11 December 2023. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Carol Rosenberg (2010-02-24). "Judge OKs detention of 2 men Bush panel cleared". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 2010-02-25.
- ^ Chris Wade (2010-02-24). "Four Guantanamo Bay detainees arrive in Albania and Spain". Digital Journal. Archived from the original on 2010-08-21.
- ^
"Tunisian Guantanamo Detainees to be Released By End of 2012". Tunisia Live. 2012-07-27. Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2012-07-26.
Tunisian Secretary of State for American and Asian Affairs, Hedi Ben Abbes, stated in an interview with Tunisia Live that the five Tunisians still remaining in the U.S Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay will be back to Tunisia by the end of this year.
- ^
"Unknown Fate for Forgotten Tunisians at Guantánamo Bay". Tunisia Live. 2012-07-27. Archived from the original on 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2012-07-26.
Since the Revolution, Tunisia has been proactive in implementing policies that respect the human rights of its citizens. However, the Tunisian government still has not succeeded in resolving the issues surrounding the five remaining prisoners at Guantánamo.
- ^ Margot Williams (2008-11-03). "Guantanamo Docket: Saleh Bin Hadi Asasi". New York Times. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
- ^ His arrival date was not documented.
External links
edit- Guantánamo: A Tale of Two Tunisians Andy Worthington