Detainee Transfers

Detainee Transfers in 2013

United States views on international law [1] in relation to Detainee Transfers: Eleven individuals were transferred from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in 2013 as part of ongoing U.S. efforts to close the facility. On August 29, 2013, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of Algerians Nabil Said Hadjarab and Mutia Sadiq Ahmad Sayyab to the Government of Algeria. In a news release available at (link resource) defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16235, the Department of Defense explained that these men were approved for transfer by consensus of the six departments and agencies comprising the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force after a comprehensive review that considered security issues, among other factors. The Department of Defense announced the transfer of two more Algerian citizens to Algeria on December 5: Djamel Saiid Ali Ameziane and Bensayah Belkecem. The December 5, 2013 news release is available at (link resource) defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16404.

Some Aspects of Detainee Transfers

On December 16, in a news release available at (link resource) defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16427, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of Saad Muhammad Husayn Qahtani and Hamood Abdulla Hamood to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On December 18, 2013, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of Noor Uthman Muhammed and Ibrahim Othman Ibrahim Idris to the Government of Sudan. As explained in the December 18 news release available at (link resource) defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16436, the Convening Authority for Military Commissions agreed to suspend Muhammed's confinement after 34 months in exchange for his guilty plea and cooperation in military commission proceedings. Idris was released in accordance with a court order and after review by the Guantanamo Review Task Force.

Developments

In a December 31, 2013 news release, available at (link resource) defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16457, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of the last three ethnic Uighurs remaining at Guantanamo: Yusef Abbas, Saidullah Khalik, and Hajiakbar Abdul Ghuper. The three were transferred to Slovakia for voluntary resettlement there after the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of their cases.

Resources

Notes

1. Detainee Transfers in the Digest of United States Practice in International Law