12:03 GMT +322 April 2018

The guard tower of Camp Six detention facility of the Joint Detention Group at the US Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (File)

Rights Group Urges Obama to Expedite Transfer of Gitmo Prisoners

© AFP 2018 / JIM WATSON

04:08 06.01.2017Get short URL

Following the transfer of four Yemeni prisoners from the US detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, outgoing President Barack Obama should send out the remaining detainees as quickly as possible despite the low probability of closing the facility before January 20th, Human Rights First said in a press release.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the US Department of Defense announced the transfer of four Guantanamo inmates to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"While today’s transfer is encouraging, the president must act swiftly if he is to transfer the remaining detainees who have been unanimously cleared by national security agencies," the release stated on Thursday. "Though it seems unlikely he [Obama] is to complete that goal, he can and should continue to dwindle the population."

Guantanamo detention center

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Trump’s Call to End Gitmo Transfers Will Not Affect Obama Policy - White House

The human rights group explained in the release that this action came after the US Congress approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes language that would make it difficult for Obama to close the Guantanamo prison completely, the release noted.

To date, 55 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.

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Related:: US Approves Indefinite Gitmo Detention for CIA Torture Victim Abu Zubaydah

: Obama to Veto Congressional Bill Prohibiting Gitmo Detainee Transfers

: Obama Says ‘Not Ready to Concede’ Gitmo to Remain Open After Leaves Office

Tags:

transfer, Guantanamo Bay, US Department of Defense (DoD), Saudi Arabia, United States

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