Guantanamo Bay detention camp

The Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a United States military prison within Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, on the coast of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. It was established in 2002 by President George W. Bush to hold people suspected of terrorism during the war on terror after the September 11 attacks. Many people from many different countries have been held there over the years.

After the September 11 attacks, the United States worked to stop groups that planned harmful acts. The camp was created to hold people without normal court hearings. Some people were held for many years without being formally charged. There has been much debate about whether the people held there were treated fairly and given their rights.

The detention camp has been the subject of much discussion and disagreement. Some leaders have wanted to close it, while others have supported keeping it open. As of January 2025, a small number of people still remain at the camp. The camp has also been used to hold people who were moving into the country without permission, which has caused additional debate about how these individuals should be treated.

History

During the Spanish–American War in 1898, U.S. forces took control of Cuba. In 1903, the U.S. and Cuba made an agreement allowing the U.S. to use land at Guantanamo Bay for a naval base. This base has been used by the U.S. ever since.

In 2002, after the events of September 11, the U.S. opened a special prison at Guantanamo Bay to hold people suspected of terrorism. The prison was run by a special military team. Over time, many people were held there, and some were later sent away or moved to other places. There have been many discussions about how the prison should be run and whether it should stay open.

Camp facilities

Camp Delta was a large detention center with 612 units that was finished in April 2002. It included several camps, such as Camps 1 through 4 and Camp Echo, where detainees who were not facing trials were held.

Camp X-Ray was a temporary facility that was closed in April 2002, and its prisoners were moved to Camp Delta.

In 2008, reports mentioned Camp 7, a very secure facility that held detainees who were previously held in secret prisons around the world. In April 2021, Camp 7 was closed because of poor conditions, and the remaining prisoners were moved to Camp 5.

Camps 5 and 6 were built in 2003–04 and were designed like a high-security prison. Camp 5 was closed in 2016 to become a medical area for detainees, but it was reopened in April 2021 to hold some former Camp 7 prisoners. Camp 6 is used for detainees who have not been tried.

Camp conditions and testimonies of abuse and torture

Reports have described difficult conditions and mistreatment at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Some health professionals were said to have helped with harsh interrogation methods, going against normal rules for doctors.

There were also claims that prisoners were treated badly because of their religion. Some former prisoners said they were treated unfairly and made to feel bad about their beliefs.

The camp has faced criticism for how prisoners were treated. Some people say the prisoners should be treated fairly until any fighting stops. Others believe the camp was necessary for holding people suspected of harmful actions.

Testimonies of treatment

Some former prisoners shared their stories about their time at the camp. They talked about feeling very sad and being treated harshly.

Reported suicides

There were reports of prisoners who died while in the camp. These events led to many discussions about the treatment of prisoners and whether they felt they had hope for the future.

Torture

Inspectors from an international group visited the camp and said they saw prisoners being treated in very hard ways. They described methods that were very painful and made prisoners feel very bad.

There were many stories from former prisoners about how they were treated. Some said they were hurt, kept awake for long periods, or put in very uncomfortable positions.

Safety concerns

Some reports described ways that prisoners were treated to make them feel very ashamed about their beliefs. These actions were very upsetting to the prisoners and caused a lot of pain and sadness.

Operating procedures

A manual called "Camp Delta Standard Operating Procedure" was published on WikiLeaks. It is the main guide for running Guantánamo Bay and covers how detainees are treated. It was signed by Major General Geoffrey D. Miller and is currently part of a legal case led by the American Civil Liberties Union.

In 2008, it was reported that some U.S. military trainers used methods from a 1957 study about how interrogators during the Korean War got people to confess. These methods included making people stay awake for long periods, keeping them in uncomfortable positions, and exposing them to cold temperatures. These techniques were part of a training program to help military members resist being interrogated, but they were later used when questioning people at Guantánamo Bay. This led to discussions and investigations about why these methods were used.

Camp detainees

Main article: List of Guantanamo Bay detainees

See also: Uyghur detainees at Guantanamo Bay

Since January 2002, many men have been brought to Guantanamo Bay. Afghans were the largest group, followed by people from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, and Algeria. Overall, people from 50 different countries were held there.

Although some were captured fighting in Afghanistan, many were captured by others and brought to Guantanamo. Some were sold for money by people in the area.

Eight men have died in the prison camp. Some were said to have taken their own lives, but many people have questioned these reports.

An estimated 17 to 22 minors under the age of 18 and 3 under the age of 16 were detained at Guantanamo Bay.

In July 2005, many detainees were moved out of Guantanamo. Some were released without charge, and others were sent to other countries.

By May 2011, 600 detainees had been released. Most were sent home or to other countries.

As of June 2013, 46 detainees were to be held indefinitely because they were considered too dangerous to transfer, but there was not enough evidence to try them.

After the release of Saifullah Paracha in October 2022, 35 prisoners remained, 20 of which had been cleared for release, pending identification of a suitable country.

As of 20 April 2023, 30 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay.

The fates of former detainees after their release from Guantanamo are mixed. Many have tried to return to normal life in their home countries. Some have sought and won refugee status away from their home country. Some have been arrested and jailed in their home countries after being returned.

High-value prisoners

In September 2006, President Bush announced that 14 important suspects were to be transferred to Guantanamo Bay from secret prisons overseas. These people include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, believed to be a key leader before he was captured; Ramzi bin al-Shibh, an alleged would-be 9/11 hijacker; and Abu Zubaydah, who was believed to be a link between Osama bin Laden and many groups.

In 2011, some of these prisoners were taken to other locations and questioned in ways that have been questioned by human rights groups.

On 11 February 2008, the U.S. military charged Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi, Ali Abd Al-Aziz Ali and Walid bin Attash with committing the September 11 attacks.

On 31 July 2024, Mohammed, Attash, and al-Hawsawi all agreed to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty. In exchange, they will be given life sentences and be transferred from Guantanamo Bay. The plea deal was revoked by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin two days later. The plea deals were reinstated in November 2024. Once the three inmates are transferred, this will reduce the remaining number of detainees to 27.

However, in July 2025 the plea deals were voided by a D.C. appeals court in a 2–1 ruling.

Government and military inquiries

Senior law enforcement agents told a news program in 2006 that they had concerns starting in 2002 about the ways some interrogators were treating people at the prison. They felt these methods were not helpful, might not give true information, and could be against the law. When they could not get help from the army leaders at the prison, they went to a top navy lawyer for help.

That lawyer and another navy legal expert thought the treatment of the people at the prison was against the law. They talked to many top lawyers and leaders in the department that handles the country’s defense, asking them to look into it and to make clear rules against using force in questioning.

Later, a group was formed to make new rules for questioning. These new rules were based on a legal document that later became famous. One of the lawyers who helped form the group disagreed with the new rules and talked about his concerns directly. Even though he and others opposed the rules, they were sent to the prison without their knowledge. However, this lawyer believes that after the rules were changed in January 2003, the treatment of people at the prison followed the law.

In 2005, a report from a high-level military investigation talked about claims of harsh treatment of prisoners. Some agents from a government agency wrote about things they saw that they felt were wrong.

In June 2005, a group from the United States government visited the prison and said it was well-run. However, some members were unhappy because they were not allowed to hear from the lawyers of the people held there.

In 2009, a report was made public that said that leaders in the government had asked for ways to use strong methods when questioning people, changed the law to make it seem okay, and allowed these methods to be used. The report said these actions made it harder to get true information, helped the country’s enemies, and hurt the country’s reputation.

Main article: Senate Armed Services Committee Report on Detainee Treatment

Legal issues

President Bush's military order

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Congress gave the President of the United States broad powers to fight a war against terrorism. Some advisors said the President must follow international rules called the Geneva Conventions. Others advised the President could hold certain detainees indefinitely without normal court oversight.

In November 2001, President George W. Bush signed an order allowing him to hold detainees and try them in special military courts, using his own authority.

Rasul v. Bush (2004)

In 2002, detainees at Guantanamo asked U.S. courts to check if their detention was legal. A U.S. judge said they couldn’t access U.S. courts. Another court agreed.

In June 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the detainees could ask U.S. courts to review their detention.

Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (2006)

To decide if detainees were enemies, special reviews were created. Some judges said these reviews didn’t follow proper rules. The Supreme Court later said the reviews didn’t meet international standards.

Boumediene v. Bush (2008)

Congress later tried to stop detainees from asking courts for help. In June 2008, the Supreme Court said detainees still had the right to ask U.S. courts to review their cases.

Other court rulings

In March 2006, the U.S. government released the names of some detainees. A French judge delayed a trial for six men, saying more information was needed about how they were treated.

Access to counsel

In 2012, new rules were created to restrict when lawyers could meet with their clients at Guantanamo. A U.S. judge rejected these rules, saying lawyers should still have access under earlier court orders.

International law

In 2004, Cuba asked the United Nations to investigate Guantanamo. In 2007, a UN expert said the United States broke international rules by not giving detainees certain rights. Some groups said the U.S. didn’t follow proper international agreements for prisoners of war.

Lease agreement for Guantanamo

The Guantanamo base is on land leased by Cuba to the United States since 1903. Cuba has argued this lease isn’t valid, but the U.S. continues to use the base under the terms of the original agreement.

Guantanamo military commission

Main article: Guantanamo military commission

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the U.S. President announced that certain people who were not U.S. citizens could be held and tried by military authorities. This meant that people the government believed were involved in terrorism could be detained and face trial in military courts instead of regular courts.

In 2006, new laws were passed allowing the President to label certain individuals as "unlawful enemy combatants." This label meant they would face trials in military commissions with fewer rights than in normal trials.

In 2007, the area where these military trials took place was informally called "Camp Justice." Originally planned as a permanent, expensive building, it was changed to a temporary, portable setup costing much less.

Reporters covering these trials had to follow strict security rules, such as not bringing certain items and going through checks for explosives. Only a few reporters were allowed in the hearing room at a time, and they watched the proceedings with a delay to avoid hearing classified information.

Two individuals were convicted in these military trials, but later had their convictions overturned by higher courts.

Release of prisoners

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of the release and transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees.

Many people were released from the Guantanamo Bay prison over the years. In 2004, two hundred detainees were released before any reviews of their status were held, including three British citizens known as the Tipton Three.

In July 2004, four French detainees were sent back to France, where they were held by French authorities. The remaining three French detainees were released in March 2005.

Also in 2004, the Tipton Three returned to the UK and were freed by British authorities shortly after their return. They later shared their experiences about conditions at the camp.

Administrative Review Board

Main article: Administrative Review Board

Detainees at Guantanamo Bay had reviews to check if they should still be held. These reviews looked at what they were accused of doing and any concerns about their activities. The reviews also heard about problems detainees faced while in prison.

The Department of Defence also held yearly reviews to decide if detainees should be released, moved to another country, or kept at Guantanamo. The first set of yearly reviews looked at the cases of 463 detainees. The first board met between December 2004 and December 2005. The Board suggested releasing 14 detainees and sending 120 to their home countries.

By November 2005, over 350 of the detainees at Guantanamo had these yearly reviews. Some were approved for release, some were to be moved to another country, some were to stay at Guantanamo, and for some no decision had been made yet.

In 2006, a man named Murat Kurnaz, who lived in Germany, was released from Guantanamo after five years without being charged.

President Obama

By June 2009, over 220 detainees were at Guantanamo. The United States worked with other countries to find places for some detainees to go. For example, Saudi Arabia accepted three men, and Bermuda accepted four others.

In December 2009, the U.S. reported that since 2002, over 550 detainees had left Guantanamo and gone to many different countries.

In January 2010, a report suggested releasing some detainees, prosecuting others, and keeping some indefinitely. Since then, over 60 detainees have been moved to other countries.

President Biden

In July 2021, the U.S. released a detainee named Abdul Latif Nasir back to his home country, Morocco. He was the first detainee released since 2016. At that time, 39 detainees were still at Guantanamo.

In spring 2022, three more detainees were released. In fall 2022, the oldest prisoner, Saifullah Paracha, was released.

In January 2025, the United States sent 11 Yemeni prisoners from Guantanamo to a detention facility in Oman. The Omani government agreed to take them as part of efforts to reduce the number of people at Guantanamo.

Subsequent actions of some released detainees

See also: Lists of former Guantanamo Bay detainees alleged to have returned to terrorism

After some people were released from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, a few of them were later involved in harmful activities. Reports from 2016 said that about 17% of those released under President George W. Bush were confirmed to have taken up fighting again, with another 13% suspected of doing the same.

Some specific examples include:

• Airat Vakhitov and Rustam Akhmyarov were captured in 2001 and released in 2004. They were arrested in 2005 in Russia on suspicions of planning attacks but were later released without charges.
• In 2015, two people who had been held at Guantanamo were arrested in Belgium on suspicions related to harmful groups.
• Abdallah Salih al-Ajmi, a former detainee, died in a conflict situation in 2008 after being released in 2005. He had been cleared of charges by a court in his home country.

The exact numbers and details about these cases are debated, and some disagree on what actions should count as returning to harmful activities.

Criticism and condemnation

Many groups and leaders around the world have spoken out about the way people are treated at Guantanamo Bay. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have said that the rules for holding people there do not follow important international agreements. Some leaders from Europe and other places have also asked for the prison to be closed, saying it does not match the United States' history of fairness and justice.

Some people who have visited the prison say conditions are better than in some other prisons, but many still believe it should be shut down. The debate about Guantanamo continues, with many people around the world concerned about how the people there are treated.

Plans for closing of camp

President Obama's attempt

During his time as a candidate for president, Barack Obama called Guantanamo a "sad chapter in American history" and promised to close the prison in 2009. After becoming president, Obama repeated this promise but faced strong opposition from some members of Congress, which made closing the prison very difficult.

Obama signed an order to close Guantanamo within a year, but later admitted this deadline would be missed. Many plans to move prisoners to other locations faced problems, including lack of proper records about some prisoners and objections from local governments. Despite many efforts, Obama could not fully close the prison before leaving office, though he did reduce the number of prisoners held there.

President Trump's statements

President Donald Trump promised to keep the prison open and use it to hold people accused of terrorism.

President Biden's review

President Joe Biden announced plans to review the camp with the goal of closing it by the end of his term. At that time, there were about 40 prisoners, many of whom had been held for nearly twenty years without trials.

Media representations

Several TV shows, films, and other media have explored the topic of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. For example, the TV series NCIS: "Minimum Security" looked at a possible terrorist plot linked to someone held at the camp. The documentary Frontline: "The Torture Question"_ examined how decisions made after September 11, 2001, affected prison conditions in places like Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, and Iraq.

Other films such as The Road to Guantánamo/ and Prisoner 345/ shared stories of people who were detained there. The comedy Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay/ used a humorous approach to the topic. Documentaries like Witness to Guantanamo/ collect interviews from former detainees and others to preserve their experiences.

The camp has also appeared in video games. In Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist/, players must escape from Guantanamo Bay. Another game, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes/, uses a fictional prison camp inspired by Guantanamo Bay.

Books have also covered the topic, such as Five Years of My Life: An Innocent Man in Guantanamo by Murat Kurnaz, sharing his personal story of being held there.

Music has referenced the camp too, like in songs from artists such as The Who and Caetano Veloso.

Radio programs have explored the camp's history and impact. The program This American Life/ discussed legal issues around detentions, and Radiolab/ shared the story of one detainee.

Theater productions such as Good Morning Gitmo/ have also used humor to address the camp's existence.

Artistic responses

Artists have created several works inspired by the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. In 2006, the famous graffiti artist Banksy placed a large replica of a person held at Guantanamo inside a Disneyland attraction. In 2009, artists Nonny de la Peña and Peggy Weil built a virtual version of the prison in a digital world called Second Life. In 2012, artist Ian Alan Paul imagined a pretend museum called the Guantanamo Bay Museum of Art and History, which would replace the closed prison. In 2013, artist Molly Crabapple visited the detention facilities and made drawings and sketches of the people held there and the prison buildings.