This week marks the ninth anniversary of the first transfer to the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay. Later this month comes another important milestone: one year since President Obama’s promised deadline to shut the prison down.

ANDY WORTHINGTON
In the U.S. till Thursday, Worthington is author of The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America’s Illegal Prison. He just wrote the piece “Guantánamo Forever?” He is co-director of the film “Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo.”

FRIDA BERRIGAN
JEREMY VARON
Berrigan and Varon are with the group Witness Against Torture, which today begins two weeks of protests, fasting and lobbying in Washington, D.C. The group states: “President Obama entered office promising to close Guantánamo and remove the taint of lawlessness it represents. Yet the prison remains open. While Congress blocks efforts to transfer prisoners to the U.S. for criminal trials, the White House draws up plans to hold some men indefinitely, without charge or trial.

“That’s not acceptable. … By blocking the lawsuits of former detainees, appealing the decisions of federal judges ordering the release of prisoners, and refusing to prosecute Bush administration officials for torture, the Justice Department has failed to fulfill President Obama’s promise of accountability and respect for the rule of law.

“Congress and the White House are rapidly moving toward a policy of permanent detention without trial for many of the prisoners at Guantánamo. Bagram [in Afghanistan] and other detention centers remain beyond the reach of the law. This violates the U.S. Constitution, as well as international law. When our government’s policies violate the law and our nation’s ideals, it’s up to the people to challenge the government directly.”

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167