Senate bill to halt release of Gitmo inmates
A group of US senators on Jan. 13 proposed legislation (PDF) that would place a moratorium on the release or transfer of prisoners from Guantánamo Bay. Republican Senators Kelly Ayotte (NH), John McCain (AZ), Lindsey Graham (SC) and Richard Burr (NC) touted the new bill as the best course of action to protect US national security. The act, titled "The Detaining Terrorists to Protect America Act of 2015," would halt all releases of Guantánamo detainees with high or medium risk ratings, issue more prohibitions ontransfers and provide more transparency on how detainees' risk levels are determined. Ayotte stated, "It's clear that we need a 'time out' so that we do not re-confront the terrorists that we had captured and are currently in Guantánamo." The new legislation will place pressure on the White House as the Obama administration released 28 prisoners from Guantánamo in 2014.
From Jurist, Jan. 14. Used with permission.
Five Gitmo detainees released to Estonia, Oman
The US Department of Defense (DOD) on Jan. 14 announced the transfer of five Guantánamo detainees. Four of the men went to Oman and one to Estonia, the first time each nation accepted Guantánamo prisoners for resettlement. Their release is the latest effort of the Obama administration to expedite the closing of the detention center. The five men were captured in Pakistan and detained by the US as suspected Al Qaeda fighters. There are now 122 prisoners at Guantanamo, 54 of whom have been cleared for transfer.
From Jurist, Jan. 15. Used with permission.