The U.S. has repatriated a Kenyan man who was held for 17 years without charge at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu was returned to Kenya, leaving 15 other individuals who have also been cleared of wrongdoing still awaiting release.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States by al-Qaida, the George W. Bush administration established a military court and prison at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay to handle detainees captured in the U.S. 'war on terror.'
Currently, there are 29 detainees remaining at Guantanamo Bay. Of these, 15 have been cleared of any charges and are awaiting acceptance by a suitable foreign country. Three others are eligible for review, four have been convicted and are serving sentences, and seven are undergoing military prosecution, including four individuals accused in the 9/11 attacks.
Amnesty International has called on the Biden administration to end the detention of the 15 individuals who have never been charged. The rights group emphasized that if this practice continues, the U.S. government will be held accountable for the indefinite detention without charge or trial.
