UN envoys say must quiz Guantanamo detainees

[Eugene]

UN envoys say must quiz Guantanamo detainees

Oct 31, 2005 — GENEVA (Reuters) - Three United Nations human rights
investigators said on Monday they could only accept a U.S. invitation
to visit Guantanamo prison camp in Cuba if they are permitted to
interview detainees.

Nearly four years after the visits were first requested, Washington
said on Friday the three envoys, including the U.N. rapporteur on
torture, could visit foreign terrorism suspects because it had "nothing
to hide."

But although they could question U.S. military officials, the envoys
would not be allowed to speak to any of the some 505 detainees, the
Pentagon said, adding that was the role of the International Committee
of the Red Cross.

In a statement, the three envoys said; "We cannot accept the exclusion
of private interviews with detainees…this would not only contravene the
terms of reference for fact-finding missions … but also undermine the
purpose of an objective and fair assessment."

<snip>

More: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1267053

[endarkenment]

1. Gee I am shocked.

They don't want to go on the special tour of the potemkin village? How dare they? Quick - WE MUST DESTROY THE UN.

[TomInTib]

2. Whaddya wanta bet we will give them ringers?

They will probably wind up interviewing our interpreters.

[Up2Late]

3. UN rejects Guantanamo visit offer (BBC News)

(I say good for the U.N.! Their's no reason to help legitimize out current governments Human Rights abuses.)
Monday, 31 October 2005, 21:33 GMT

UN rejects Guantanamo visit offer[br />UN human rights monitors say they will not accept a US offer to visit the Guantanamo Bay prison camp unless they are given free access to the prisoners.

The monitors said they could accept some limitations, but not a ban on private interviews with detainees. The Pentagon, which received the UN request for a visit more than three years ago, said the invitation showed it had "nothing to hide".

About 500 people are currently being held at Guantanamo. To date, only the International Committee of the Red Cross has been granted direct access to prisoners at the camp in Cuba.

Hunger strike

The three monitors said in a statement that they could not accept the exclusion of private interviews as "this would not only contravene the terms of reference for fact-finding missions... but also undermine the purpose of an objective and fair assessment".

The three also said they were disappointed that the visit would only last one day, and that two other UN human rights investigators had been excluded from the tour.

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4394584.stm>
(more at link above)