IRAP and ACLU Sue U.S. Government for Information on Refugee Detention at Guantánamo Bay
What is the Lawsuit About?
- Advocates seek information on the secretive practice of detaining refugees at Guantánamo Bay.
- IRAP and ACLU filed a lawsuit under the FOIA to compel disclosure of records.
What Did the IRAP Report Reveal?
Last week, IRAP released a report, Offshoring Human Rights: Detention of Refugees at Guantánamo Bay, based on testimonies from detained families.
What is the Response from The U.S. Government?
- Government denies that the refugees at Guantánamo Bay are detained.
- Initial FOIA request was administratively closed by the government.
What Are Advocates Saying?
Wafa Junaid from ACLU stated that the government has kept treatment of migrants at Guantánamo hidden for too long.
What Is Being Revealed About the Detention Conditions?
- IRAP’s report details inhumane conditions such as undrinkable water and inadequate schooling and medical care for children.
- Refugees experienced mistreatment and collective punishment at the offshore detention site.
The U.S. government’s lack of transparency and accountability in refugee detention at Guantánamo Bay is concerning according to Kimberly Grano from IRAP.
Additional Resources
- Read the complaint here.
- Access the IRAP report on refugee detention at Guantánamo Bay.
- Learn more about IRAP’s report in the New York Times and the Miami Herald.
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) works for a world where refugees and all seeking safety can claim their right to freedom of movement and refuge.
Source: refugeerights.org