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Dear friend,
Today is not a day we should let pass by quietly.
Exactly 10 years ago the first 'war on terror' detainees were transferred to Guantanamo Bay, shackled, hooded and masked to ensure sensory deprivation. Since then, reports of secret detentions, torture, unfair trials and suicides have hit the global headlines time and time again.
Nearly three years ago, President Obama pledged to end detentions at Guantanamo prison. Yet today, more than 150 people are still locked inside.
What we’re asking for is simple: either charge the detainees and bring them to a fair trial, or set them free. Will you stand with Amnesty International supporters around the world to ask President Obama to deliver on his promise? Click here to add your name and help reach our target of 100,000 petition signatures.
Only weeks ago, Obama rang in the new year by signing the frightening National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), that paves the way for laws authorising indefinite detention by himself or any future Presidents. No government should be entrusted with this power.
But if there’s one thing the NDAA cannot do, it is to stifle the movement of people who know what’s right.
This year is not just another anniversary. A decade of Guantanamo shines a global spotlight upon this human rights catastrophe -- and the US Administration will be closely monitoring the reaction within the country and beyond.
What kind of world do we live in when respect for human rights is at the whim of governments and the political elite? A world where in some countries the right to a fair trial can depend on where you come from or who you know. It's not the world we've been fighting for, and it’s not the world that Amnesty International supporters accept.
With your help, this could be the final year of Guantanamo Bay. Sign the petition now - every last name counts.
In hope,
Katie Wood
Torture and terror expert
Amnesty International Australia
