In a letter to US President Joe Biden, members of the Bundestag from the SPD, the Greens and the Left have called for the closure of the US prison camp in Guantánamo, which has been in existence for 20 years.
Washington – In a letter to US President Joe Biden, members of the Bundestag from the SPD, the Greens and the Left have called for the closure of the US prison camp at Guantánamo, which has been in existence for 20 years. “The torture center and the special tribunals there have become a symbol of the brutal excesses of the US fight against terrorism,” says the letter signed by 14 members of parliament and submitted to the German Press Agency. It is also addressed to US Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The prison camp at the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba was built after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 under the Republican President George W. Bush to detain suspected Islamist terrorists without trial. The first prisoners were brought there that Tuesday 20 years ago. Bush’s successor, Democrat Barack Obama, wanted to close it, but failed due to opposition in the US Congress. The Republican Donald Trump, in turn, wanted to keep the camp open. His successor, Biden, has now set the goal of closing again after taking office almost a year ago.
As Obama’s Vice President at the Munich Security Conference 13 years ago, the Democrat had already said: “America will not torture. We will uphold the rights of those we bring to justice. And we will close the prison camp in Guantánamo Bay. ” In their letter, the members of the Bundestag are calling on the US President to keep the promise: “We call on you to protect the rights of all prisoners and to finally close the prison camp in Cuba.” The letter was initiated by Left MP Sevim Dagdelen, who had asked MPs from all parliamentary groups except the AfD for support. The letter was signed, among others, by the SPD MPs Bengt Bergt, Anke Hennig and the Green MP Susanne Quantity. (dpa)
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