New Guantanamo Investigation must be Independent says Euro-MP

2.07.17pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 6th Jan 2005

A member of the Human Rights Subcommittee in the European Parliament, Liz Lynne MEP has welcomed the announcement by the Pentagon that there will be a new investigation into allegations of abuse at Guantanamo Bay.

However the Liberal Democrat Euro-MP, whose constituent Moazaam Begg is still being held there three years after he was first detained, was disappointed that this investigation will again be headed by the US Army and not by an independent organisation.

The new investigation follows the publication of documents last month which showed the FBI had expressed concerns about the treatment of prisoners as far back as 2002.

Liz Lynne said:

"Last year a letter written by my constituent Moazaam Begg was received by his family uncensored which detailed a string of abuses. This, along with other testimonies from former prisoners and people who have worked at Guantanamo Bay, paints a disturbing picture of what is going on.

"An internal probe is not good enough. We need an independent investigation into the catalogue of allegations made by Mr Begg and others. It is also disturbing that the FBI raised concerns about the camp over two years ago yet nothing was done.

"We are all agreed on the importance of fighting terrorism, but we cannot surrender the basic human rights and values Europe shares with America. If we do the terrorists will have won."

ENDS

Notes To Editors

EU-Transatlantic relations will be debated next week in Strasbourg following a statement by the Council and the Commission. Liz Lynne has added a clause to the ALDE resolution highlighting the continued concerns of the EU at the treatment and detention of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

Text of clause added by Liz Lynne:

"E. whereas the long-lasting situation in Guantanamo Bay is hindering EU-US transatlantic relations, since the EU cannot accept these legal and judicial irregularities, which undermine the most fundamental rights values of the rule of law."

The ALDE resolution has to be agreed by other groups in the European Parliament so it is subject to change. If you would like a copy of the full ALDE resolution you can obtain it from the UK office of Liz Lynne.