Mar 14 2009
Guantanamo Detainees Still Waiting, But Hey, They Got Their Name Changed
A change in wording, but no change in tactics as President Obama stops using a key phrase in the war on terror: enemy combatant. This change means being an enemy combatant can no longer justify being held as a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay, stated the Justice Department regarding this legal filing. This change has little to do with the prisoners already held there. The detainees are still being held under military authority. Human rights attorneys had hoped that Obama would change this situation in full. The Center for Constitutional Rights made a statement saying, “This is really a case of old wine in new bottles,” the statement continues, “It is still unlawful to hold people indefinitely without charge. The men who have been held for more than seven years by our government must be charged or released.” In another ruling the Obama administration tried to protect military officials who served under the Bush administration from law suits brought by detainees who claim they were tortured while being held. This action has been unpopular with human rights groups.
