Wales: Guantánamo Bay – Amnesty members in Wales protest outside the US Embassy office in Cardiff to condemn five year ‘anniversary’.
Where: US Embassy Office, Temple Court, Cathedral Road, Cardiff
When: 10.30am, Thursday 11th January 2007. Letter to be handed in at 11.00am.
On the day marking the fifth ‘anniversary’ (11 January) of the first ‘war on terror’ detainees being transported to the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, Amnesty International issued a fresh statement condemning the camp.
Amnesty International’s Programme Director for Wales, Cathy Owens said:
“Five years ago, the sinister transport of men in orange jump-suits, blindfolds and shackles began. Since then, the detainees have suffered deplorable conditions and levels of initimidation that are beyond belief."
"The reports of extensive, regular and ongoing torture are appalling. These reports have sullied the US’s already stained reputation and Amnesty International is still barred from making meaningful camp inspections.
“Now, half a decade on and with not a single person yet found guilty of any offence, it’s time for the US to admit that this dangerous experiment with the principles of international law has failed, and failed miserably. Guantanamo Bay is a travesty of justice."
“We are calling for the immediate closure of Guantánamo Bay and for all other ‘war on terror’ detention centres to be identified and closed, with detainees being properly charged before fair courts or released to safe countries.”
Amnesty International is holding a demonstration outside the US Embassy Office in Cardiff on 11 January. People in Guantánamo-style orange boiler-suits, will be kneeling in the infamous ‘submission’ posture seen in numerous photographs of prisoners held at the camp.
This demonstration, together with events in London, Edinburgh and Belfast, is part of a series of Amnesty International demonstrations against Guantánamo worldwide on 11 January, including demonstrations in New York, Tokyo, Rome, Madrid and Israel.