Rights experts call for immediate release of Abu Zubaydah from Guantánamo January 8, 2025
**Geneva – ** A group of independent human rights experts on Friday called for the immediate release of Abu Zubaydah, a Palestinian man who has been held in the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for more than two decades without charge or trial.
In a statement, the experts said that Zubaydah has been subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and that his continued detention is a violation of international law.
“The continued detention of Mr. Zubaydah is arbitrary and illegal,” the experts said. “He has been held for over 20 years without charge or trial, and there is no evidence that he poses a threat to the security of the United States.”
The experts also noted that Zubaydah has been cleared for release by the U.S. government, but that his transfer has been blocked by Congress.
“We urge the U.S. government to immediately release Mr. Zubaydah and to ensure that he is provided with the necessary medical care and rehabilitation,” the experts said.
Zubaydah was arrested in Pakistan in 2002 and was transferred to Guantánamo Bay in 2003. He was subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by the CIA, including waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and stress positions.
In 2006, Zubaydah was cleared for release by the U.S. government, but his transfer has been blocked by Congress. In 2010, a federal judge ordered the government to release Zubaydah, but the order was overturned by the Supreme Court.
Zubaydah is currently held in the Guantánamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. He is 50 years old and has been held without charge or trial for more than 20 years.
The group of experts who called for Zubaydah’s release includes:
- Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
- Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on summary executions and extrajudicial, arbitrary or summary executions
- Leigh Toomey, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on arbitrary detention
- Elina Steinerte, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children
- Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
- David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
The statement by the experts is the latest in a series of calls for Zubaydah’s release. In 2021, a group of former U.S. officials, including former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and former CIA Director John Brennan, called for Zubaydah’s release.
The Biden administration has said that it is committed to closing the Guantánamo Bay detention camp, but it has not yet announced a timeline for doing so.
Rights experts call for immediate release of Abu Zubaydah from Guantánamo
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