end torture and arbitrary detention in USA

[miriam_e]

Nearly three years ago President Obama promised to end detentions at Guantanamo prison, where the USA has notoriously been torturing detainees in defiance of international law, common decency, and good sense. President Obama has not only failed to keep his promise, but has signed the scary, retrograde National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) which paves the way for laws authorising indefinite detention by himself or any future Presidents.

Nobody can be trusted with that kind of power.

Amnesty International is getting signatures on a petition demanding that the USA either charge the detainees and bring them to a fair trial, or set them free.

http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/27523/

Amnesty International will deliver the petition directly to the White House ahead of the State of the Union Address on 24 January.

USA must live up to its obligations under the International Bill of Human Rights.

We call on the United States President Barack Obama to address the detentions at Guantanamo Bay as a human rights issue that requires urgent attention.

• Guantanamo detainees should either be charged and prosecuted in fair trials or released to countries that will respect their human rights, including into the USA if that is the only available option;
  
  
• The US military commissions, which do not meet international fair trial standards, should be abandoned, as should any pursuit of the death penalty;
  
  
• Former or current US officials responsible for human rights violations must be held to account, including in respect of crimes under international law such as torture and enforced disappearance by bringing them to justice. Victims of human rights violations must be provided genuine access to effective remedy;
  
  
• The USA must recognize the applicability of, and fully respect international human rights law, when conducting counterterrorism operations, including detentions in Guantanamo, detention facilities at Bagram in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Please sign the petition:
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/27523/