WASHINGTON: More than 150 organisations sent a letter to US President Joe Biden on Wednesday urging him to "prioritise closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."
The letter was signed by 159 organisations from the US and other countries who called themselves a "diverse group of non-governmental organisations" working on issues including international human rights, immigrants' rights, racial justice and combatting anti-Muslim discrimination, Anadolu Agency reported.
"It is long past time for both a sea change in the United States' approach to national and human security, and a meaningful reckoning with the full scope of damage that the post-9/11 approach has caused. Closing the Guantanamo detention facility, ending indefinite military detention of those held there, and never again using the military base for unlawful mass detention of any group of people are necessary steps towards those ends," they wrote in the letter.
"We urge you to act without delay, and in a just manner that considers the harm done to the men who have been detained indefinitely without charge or fair trials for two decades," they added.
Meanwhile, Anadolu Agency also reported a virtual rally was held Wednesday to mark 21 years since the opening of the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, which was created after the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to hold terrorist suspects captured in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.
The virtual event was attended by many people from different locations, including activists, lawyers and human rights advocates, who demanded the closure of the notorious prison which the US leased from Cuba in 1903 as a coaling station and naval base, it added.
The detention camp, also known as "Gitmo," has held roughly 780 detainees since it was opened, most of them without charge or trial, with many said to have gone through unspeakable horrors.
Currently, 35 detainees remain and 20 of them are eligible for transfer.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Jan 12 2023
More than 150 organisations sent a letter to US President Joe Biden on Wednesday urging him to "prioritise closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba." - AFP/Filepic
Ceroboh hutan Raub: Tindakan penguatkuasaan berdasarkan bukti - MB Pahang
Tindakan penguat kuasa menahan dua individu yang didakwa menceroboh kawasan hutan di Raub semalam dibuat berdasarkan bukti kukuh, kata Menteri Besar Pahang Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
"Yang tak ambil gaji dikritik, yang mencuri tak salah"
Satu tahun setengah sebagai perdana menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ulangi tetap tegas tidak benar sebarang 'kecurian' atau 'kronisma' dalam kerajaan.
Isu Palestin: Ini soal prinsip dan nilai
Perdana menteri tegaskan walaupun berdepan kerugian, kerajaan Madani mahu memastikan keputusan yang diambil turut mengambil kira soal nilai dan prinsip.
Kedudukan, profil Malaysia tinggi di peringkat antarabangsa
Anwar akui antara kelemahan utama kerajaan adalah komunikasi sehingga rakyat tidak sedar reputasi tinggi negara di peringkat antarabangsa.
"Saya boleh terima kritikan tapi jangan fitnah"
Anwar kesal apabila masih dituduh tidak berbuat apa-apa sedangkan sudah banyak usaha dilaksanakan untuk rakyat.
"Tengok keperluan, mana perlu ditambah"
Sektor awam dikatakan bloated dengan jumlah penjawat yang ramai, namun perdana menteri tegaskan ia perlu terutama sektor-sektor kritikal.
Lee Hsien Loong lepas jawatan, seru rakyat bersatu padu
Perdana Menteri, Lee Hsien Loong menyeru rakyat Singapura untuk kekal bersatu padu dan kekalkan kestabilan politik demi masa depan negara.
Dalam nada yang sama, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Lawrence Wong akan menggalas tanggungjawab beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri.
Dalam nada yang sama, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Lawrence Wong akan menggalas tanggungjawab beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri.
LAPD sahkan polis campur tangan protes di UCLA
Polis Los Angeles mengesahkan telah menghantar satu pasukan untuk mengawal ketenteraman di protes pro-Palestin di Universiti California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Peta protes Pro-Palestin di dunia
Peta protes Pro-Palestin di dunia
Rangka stategi bantu Palestin, libatkan negara bukan Islam
Perdana Menteri berkata negara-negara Islam perlu libatkan negara-negara bukan Islam dalam strategi membebaskan Palestin dari kekejaman Israel.