• U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about his administration's counterterrorism policy in Washington on May 23, 2013.
    © 2013 Reuters
    US: Pledges to End ‘War,’ Close Guantanamo
    United States President Barack Obama’s new call to transfer detainees from Guantanamo and wind down the “war” with al-Qaeda could jumpstart a US counterterrorism policy more consistent with US human rights obligations.
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Counterterrorism

  • US: Pledges to End ‘War,’ Close Guantanamo
    May 24, 2013
    United States President Barack Obama’s new call to transfer detainees from Guantanamo and wind down the “war” with al-Qaeda could jumpstart a US counterterrorism policy more consistent with US human rights obligations.
  • Obama Rejects Perpetual War, But Questions Remain About Targeted Killings
    May 23, 2013
  • US: Policy Recommendations on Counterterrorism
    May 21, 2013
    On May 23, 2013, US President Barack Obama will give a speech at the National Defense University on counterterrorism policy. Human Rights Watch has long reported on US counterterrorism policy, and has recently made a number of recommendations that address issues on the president’s agenda.
  • Guantanamo: ‘An Unmitigated Disaster’
    May 20, 2013
    Seven days after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush signed the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), a joint resolution passed by Congress that empowered the president to use force against those responsible for the attacks. More than 11 years later that law is still in effect.
  • US: Statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee on the AUMF, Targeted Killing, & Guantanamo
    May 16, 2013
    On May 16, 2013, the US Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing entitled “The Law of Armed Conflict, the Use of Military Force, and the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force”. Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, gave the following testimony before the committee.
  • Joint letter to Chuck Hagel on the force-feeding of hunger-striking prisoners at Guantánamo Bay
    May 13, 2013
    We write to request that you intervene to end the force-feeding of competent hunger-striking prisoners in Guantánamo Bay, which constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
  • Saudi Arabia: Cleric who Backed Protests on Trial for His Life
    May 10, 2013
    Saudi authorities should ensure a fair trial for the Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
  • A New Chance to Act on Guantanamo
    May 9, 2013
    The last time Amina al-Rabeii video conferenced from Yemen with her brother Salman, a detainee at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, she barely recognized the skeletal man on the screen.
  • Joint letter to President Obama on SSCI Study of CIA Interrogation and Detention Program
    May 6, 2013
    In order to ensure the Executive Branch response is as objective and comprehensive as possible, we strongly urge you to designate a senior White House official to coordinate a single Executive Branch response, incorporating the views of all the relevant agencies.
  • How to Close Guantanamo
    May 2, 2013

    President Barack Obama finally broke his long silence on Tuesday on the need to close Guantanamo. Echoing comments he made four years ago -- when, on his second day in office he promised to close the facility within a year -- he said "Guantanamo is not necessary to keep America safe. It is expensive. It is inefficient.... It needs to be closed." Welcome words, but it's unlikely they will brighten the day of the 100 men currently on hunger strike at the facility.

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