Judge Gives Obama Administration One Month to "Refine Position" on Bagram Detainees

By Mahdis Keshavarz

ccun.org, January 25, 2009

 
January 23, 2009, New York, NY-- In light of yesterday's Executive Order by President Barack Obama to close Guantanamo and end some of the Bush Administration's most infamous detention practices, Judge John D. Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has given the Obama Administration until February 20th to "refine" its legal position with respect to detainees held at Bagram Airfield Prison in Afghanistan as well.  Judge Bates issued the order late yesterday afternoon in four cases brought on behalf of Bagram detainees by the International Justice Network, the organization representing men held without charge by the U.S. government in Afghanistan.  Bagram currently holds nearly three times the number of prisoners as Guantanamo. 

On January 7th, 2009, Bush Administration lawyers argued that the cases Al Maqalah v. Gates; Al Najar v. Gates; Al Bakri v. Bush; and Wazir v. Rumsfeld should be dismissed because detainees brought to Bagram (rather than Guantanamo) are not entitled to any legal protection under U.S. law.  After hearing legal arguments in the cases, Judge Bates ordered the Department of Defense to provide more information regarding the number of detainees at Bagram who, like Petitioners, were brought to the facility from outside of Afghanistan, and have remained imprisoned there without access to any legal process--many for more than six years.  On January 16th, the Department of Defense provided the information to the court under seal, but refused to make the information available to detainees counsel or to the public. 

Judge Bates's decision cited yesterday's Executive Orders as "indicating significant changes to the government's approach to the detention, and review of detention, of individuals currently held at Guantanamo Bay."  Judge Bates went on to note that "[a] different approach could impact the Court's analysis of certain issues central to the resolution of these cases as well."

Prior to yesterday's order from Judge Bates, the Obama administration had not planned to make any changes in detention policy at Bagram.  At a White House Press Briefing on the Executive Orders signed by President Obama yesterday, a member of the press corps asked a senior administration official if "terror suspects who are apprehended by American authorities will continue to go to Bagram?"  The Obama official's answer was not to expect any changes to existing policies in Afghanistan for at least six months.  Yesterday's order gives the new adminstration approximately one month to decide whether to change its legal position with respect to detainees held at Bagram.

A copy of Judge Bates's order is available at www.IJNetwork.org.

The International Justice Network (IJNetwork) leads human rights initiatives around the world by providing direct legal assistance and expertise to victims of human rights abuses and by creating a global network of legal professionals, non-governmental organizations and community-based human rights advocates in order to protect and promote human rights and the rule of law. IJNetwork attorneys currently represent a number of Afghan detainees held at the Bagram prison. For more information please visit www.IJNetwork.org.