PHR Library

June 12, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

US Supreme Court Restores Habeas Corpus Rights of Detainees

The decision of the Supreme Court today upholding the habeas corpus right of Guantanamo detainees to challenge their detention in court is a victory not only for the rule of law but is a significant step in the campaign against torture. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) applauds the Court’s decision which restores a historic bulwark against the abuse of power by any Administration.

After years in custody without being charged with a crime, Guantanamo detainees will finally get a fair hearing. Without the protection of habeas corpus these detainees have been subject to indefinite detention and have been consigned to a legal black hole. As reported in numerous accounts by media and human rights organizations, including PHR, many of the detainees held over the years at Guantanamo have been subjected to various forms of ill-treatment, including torture. “The very lawlessness of this process has facilitated the torture and abuse which these detainees have suffered at the Guantanamo facility,” said PHR CEO Frank Donaghue.

Today’s decision marks the beginning of the restoration of the reputation of the United States as a nation based on the rule of law. However, until the abuses which occurred at Guantanamo are fully investigated and those responsible are held accountable, the standing of the United States as a nation fully committed to human rights will remain in question.

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes the health professions to advance the health and dignity of all people by protecting human rights. As a founding member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, PHR shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.