Conditions for detainees at the US military jail at Guantanamo Bay are deteriorating, with the majority held in solitary confinement, a report says.
Amnesty International said the often harsh and inhumane conditions at the camp were "pushing people to the edge".
It called for the facility to be closed and for plans for "unfair" military commission trials to be abandoned.
Many of the 385 inmates have been held for five years or more, unable to mount a legal challenge to their detention.
"While the United States has an obligation to protect its citizens... that does not relieve the United States from its responsibilities to comply with human rights," the report said.
"Some [inmates] are dangerously close to full-blown mental and physical breakdown"UK director Kate Allen Amnesty International
"Statements by the Bush administration that these men are 'enemy combatants,' 'terrorists' or 'very bad people' do not justify the complete lack of due process rights," the group said.
Amnesty reiterated its call for detainees at the prison camp in Cuba - many of whom are suspected Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters - to be released or charged and sent to trial.
'Already in despair'
The report, published on Thursday, said about 300 detainees are now being held at a new facility - known as Camp 5, Camp 6 and Camp Echo - comparable to "super-max" high security units in the US.
The group said the facility had "created even harsher and apparently more permanent conditions of extreme isolation and sensory deprivation".
It said the detainees were reportedly confined to windowless cells for 22 hours a day, only allowed to exercise at night and could go for days without seeing daylight.
The organisation's UK director, Kate Allen, described the process at Guantanamo as "a travesty of justice".
"With many prisoners already in despair at being held in indefinite detention... some are dangerously close to full-blown mental and physical breakdown.
"The US authorities should immediately stop pushing people to the edge with extreme isolation techniques and allow proper access for independent medical experts and human rights groups."
'Serving justice'
The provision that stripped detainees of their right to mount a legal challenge to their confinement was upheld by a US federal appeals court in Washington in February.
Pushing the anti-terror legislation through Congress last year, Mr Bush said he needed the new law to bring terror suspects to justice.
It allows for the indefinite detention of people as "enemy combatants".
The US has said it plans to use the military tribunal system to prosecute about 80 of 385 prisoners remaining at the camp.
Very True, Let me Guess Terrorists( So called) are suppose to endure these conditions.
However, what i find strange is that a few of these men have been in these prisons for over 5 years and still not charged. If you got all this evidence in the first place, why not charge them? What is taking 5 years?
I Do not Support any Extremist or Fundamentalist Groups, We should all strive for a Democratic State in which Free Thought can be Expressed!
"let us be clear: torture can never be an instrument to fight terror, for torture is and instrument of terror."
former u.n. secretary-general kofi annan
"guantanamo is the festering symbol of this administration's continued contempt for international law and disregard for human rights, further diminishing our country's moral standing."
larry cox, executive director, amnesty international usa.
each man thinks of his own fleas as gazelles
question authority
The confusion here stems from the fact that these detainees aren't recognized soldiers of a nation. I agree that something has to be done to hurry this process along, but the Supreme Court is responsible for much of the delay because they refused to sign off on military tribunals until very recently. This process will go full steam ahead by next year. Many detainees have already been released because the evidence wasn't clear enough to warrant detention by the criteria of the Supreme Court.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
The confusion here stems from the fact that these detainees aren't recognized soldiers of a nation. I agree that something has to be done to hurry this process along, but the Supreme Court is responsible for much of the delay because they refused to sign off on military tribunals until very recently. This process will go full steam ahead by next year. Many detainees have already been released because the evidence wasn't clear enough to warrant detention by the criteria of the Supreme Court.
For once i can agree with you
I Do not Support any Extremist or Fundamentalist Groups, We should all strive for a Democratic State in which Free Thought can be Expressed!
The confusion here stems from the fact that these detainees aren't recognized soldiers of a nation. I agree that something has to be done to hurry this process along, but the Supreme Court is responsible for much of the delay because they refused to sign off on military tribunals until very recently. This process will go full steam ahead by next year. Many detainees have already been released because the evidence wasn't clear enough to warrant detention by the criteria of the Supreme Court.
true - supreme court has dragged its feet and yes, many have been released.
but the stain that gitmo, abu ghraib, extraordinary renditions, etc have placed on this country will not go away.
also, next year would be a long time to wait for those who have already waited too long.
each man thinks of his own fleas as gazelles
question authority
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