Former inmates, campaigners and advocates on Wednesday marked the 21st anniversary of the opening of the US military prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where 35 Muslim men remain locked up even though most have never been charged with a crime.
The notorious prison garners little attention in the US, even though it costs American taxpayers $13 million annually to house each detainee — a total cost of $540 million every year.
The first inmates, clad in orange jumpsuits, arrived in 2002 after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. Many inmates were tortured when they first came.
According to Amnesty International, 20 of the remaining prisoners have been cleared for release but remain locked up. Many are from Yemen and cannot be sent back to their war-torn country.
Amnesty USA's director of Security with Human Rights, Daphne Eviatar, described how indefinite detention at Guantanamo has become the “iconic example of the abandonment of the rule of law”.
“This issue unfortunately doesn't get much attention in the US any more because it's considered old news,” Ms Eviatar said at an online rally.
“But for the 35 men still detained indefinitely without trial, it continues to be a present-day nightmare.”
The oldest inmate at Guantanamo is 73. Only a handful have been formally charged.
“None have received a fair trial, and more than 21 years later, there still has been no accountability for the 9/11 attacks,” rally organisers said.
Activists described the existence of the prison, now in its third decade, as a symbol of “institutionalised Islamophobia” in the US.
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When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Wed Aug 29 – Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
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Tue Sep 4 - Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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