CAIRO: Two of the five Egyptian nationals held at the notorious US prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have been released, the Ministry of Interior confirmed late last week.
While the identity of the two men are still unknown, one of the them reportedly arrived in Egypt while the other requested not to return to the country and has sought asylum in Albania.
While Egyptian authorities have refused to disclose details regarding the arrests of the men as well as the reasons for their detainment, an official at the Interior Ministry confirms that the man who returned to Egypt is currently being held in Egyptian custody, most likely for suspected ties to Islamic radical groups.
Abdulaziz Seif Al-Nasr, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and Counterterrorism affairs, welcomed the release arguing that Egypt s diplomatic effort succeeded in the release of two out of five Egyptians in Guantanamo. We will continue our efforts in the release of the remaining three Egyptians still held at the naval base.
“The released prisoner who chose to go to Albania has the right to return home whenever he wants, he added. According to an Egyptian diplomatic source, the Foreign Ministry is reportedly in close contact with US parties concerned, whether through the Egyptian embassy in the US capital Washington or through direct ties, to secure the release of Egyptian citizens held in detainment at Guantanamo.
Following the publishing of several Egyptian press articles urging the Foreign Ministry to take stronger measures in the release of Egyptian prisoners at Guantanamo, Muhammad Minisi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs said the government was working to ensure the rights of its citizens. “The Foreign Ministry always steps in immediately after receiving news of the capture of any Egyptian anywhere, to guarantee his legal rights. No prisoner in Guantanamo of any nationality enjoys any protection under international law and conditions inside it are even criticized by Americans themselves.
Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), believes that it is time to close the Guantanamo prison facility down.
“Detaining hundreds of men without charge at Guantanamo has been a legal and political debacle of historic proportions, The Bush administration should either charge or release the detainees trapped in a nightmarish limbo.
On Jan. 5, HRW called for the closing the prison camp in a briefing paper, urging the Bush administration to bring criminal charges or release the approximate 400 detainees currently held at Guantanamo without charge.
Shortly after the US Supreme Court ruling providing detainees with the right to challenge the lawfulness of their detention in courts, the Bush administration quickly pushed a new legislation through Congress that revokes that right.
The legislation also prohibits prisoners the right to challenge their treatment, even if they have been tortured or abused.
With additional reporting by Alexandra Sandels
