Appeals court overtruns "enemy combatant designation" for a Guantanamo prisoner

[ProSense]

Appeals court rules for Guantanamo prisoner

By James Vicini
1 hour, 43 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Monday Appeals courta U.S. military tribunal's enemy combatant designation for a Chinese Muslim at the Guantanamo Bay prison, its first ruling that gives a detainee a chance for release.

It ordered the U.S government to release or transfer Huzaifa Parhat, a member of the Uighur ethnic group, or to "expeditiously" hold a new military tribunal for him.

Parhat, who was captured in Afghanistan and who has been imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba for six years, is one of several Uighurs still at the prison. The United States has struggled to find a country willing to accept the Uighurs.

In 2006, the United States allowed five Chinese Muslims released from Guantanamo to seek asylum in Albania. The U.S. government has said it cannot return the Uighurs to China because they would face persecution there.

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[Selatius]

1. How ironic they care enough about them not to send them to the regime in Beijing

Yet were more than willing to strip them of due process rights here on US soil.

[crickets]

2. As though it's such a favor to keep them incarcerated.

They're just giving those Uighurs somewhere to stay, right? :eyes:

Good on the appeals court; now let's see if something actually gets done.

[ProSense]

3. Let's see if it gets the media coverage it should. n/t

[Solly Mack]

4. K&R

[Igel]

5. Essentially a no-brainer.

They've tried to find a place to send them--even if they'd be released upon transferral--for years. Hard to justify 'enemy combatant' status when you're trying to release them.

Problem is nobody wants to release them in the US, and almost every other country asked has also turned them down. The two remaining options are (a) Gitmo and (b) China.

They need to be released, insist on not being in Gitmo? Not a problem. They dont' like choice (a), give them choice (b). Problem solved, they can declare victory and the horrible injustice of being at Gitmo is no more.