Detainees released from U.S. detention in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba and Afghanistan live shattered lives as a result of U.S. policies in the "war on terror," according to a new report by human rights experts at the University of California, Berkeley.
The report, "Guantánamo and Its Aftermath: U.S. Detention and
Interrogation Practices and Their Impact on Detainees," based on a
two-year study, reveals in graphic detail the cumulative effect of Bush
Administration policies on the lives of 62 released detainees. Many of
the prisoners were sold into captivity and subjected to brutal
treatment in U.S. prison camps. Once in Guantánamo, prisoners were
denied access to civilian courts to challenge the legality of their
detention. Almost two-thirds of the former detainees interviewed
reported having psychological problems since leaving Guantánamo.
"The nightmare of Guantánamo did not end with the detainees' release.
Men never convicted of crimes or given the opportunity to clear their
names are suffering from a lasting 'Guantánamo stigma,' and are unable
to find work,'" said Laurel Fletcher, Director of the International
Human Rights Law Clinic at UC Berkeley School of Law and co-author of
the report.
