Madam, - Your Editorial of June 30th, describing as "historic" the judgment of the US Supreme Court on military commissions in Guantánamo is entirely apt. The ruling held that the proposed commissions violated US law and the Geneva Conventions.
For too long, too much deference has been given to this US administration in its so called "war on terror". The Supreme Court's ruling is a welcome assertion of judicial oversight. One of the great strengths of a democratic system is the independence of its judiciary as a counterbalance to potential abuses of power by the executive.
It is now essential that President Bush ensures that his administration adopts a progressive interpretation of this ruling in the interest of justice, respect for human rights, and the reputation of his country. He must not seek to resurrect the military commissions in other forms or by other means.
When asked recently about closing Guantánamo, President Bush said he was waiting for the Supreme Court to rule in the Hamdan case. He now has this ruling. He has always had the power to close Guantánamo and to cancel the military commissions. Both are the products of his administration. Both violate international law and both should be consigned to the history books.
Amnesty International has consistently been calling for the closure of Guantánamo, and for the US to cease undermining international law. The closure of Guantánamo must not be used to transfer human rights violations elsewhere. All secret detentions and renditions must be ended, and all detainees fully registered. Detainees should be guaranteed their full rights under international law, including the right not to be subjected to torture, and the right to be brought to fair trial in an independent and impartial court of law.
The sooner the US returns to operating within the parameters of international human rights law, the sooner global security for everyone will be strengthened.
- Yours, etc,
SEÁN LOVE, Executive Director, Amnesty International (Irish Section), Fleet Street, Dublin 2.