Monday, November 30, 2020

LGC Newsletter - November 2020

Guantánamo Bay

The Coronavirus pandemic has meant that court hearings scheduled for this month have been cancelled and none are scheduled for the rest of 2020. With votes still being counted in some states following the US presidential election on 3 November, it appears that Democrat Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States. However, aside from having expressed that he would like to see Guantánamo close, he has not said much about the detention facility and the choices that he and his administration are likely to make remain to be seen.

 

Extraordinary Rendition

A 4-year inquiry by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has found serious evidence of potential war crimes by the Australian military in Afghanistan, including 39 potentially unlawful killings and has recommended that “19 current or ex-special forces soldiers should be investigated by police over killings of "prisoners, farmers or civilians" in 2009-13” and that 36 incidents in total are investigated. It also criticised the culture within the Australian army. The report is heavily redacted nonetheless and since its publication, some officers now face dismissal from the army. Unto itself, recognition of the offence and admission of them is an important step towards accountability and repairing the damage done. Australia’s actions in Afghanistan are also subject to investigation by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-54996581

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/26/australian-soldiers-sent-show-cause-notices-after-afghanistan-war-crimes-report  

 

LGC Activities:

The London Guantánamo Campaign’s monthly Shut Guantánamo! demonstrations continue online for the present at 12-2pm on the first Thursday of each month. To take part, please email a photo/video of your banner to us at london.gtmo@gmail.com or share your picture/video to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/London-Guantánamo-Campaign-114010671973111/ or via Twitter at that time.


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