Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi, held at Guantanamo Bay since its opening, was finally repatriated to Tunisia after being cleared for release over a decade ago.
Guantanamo Bay ’s earliest captive has finally been released after more than two decades in limbo. Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi was repatriated to Tunisia from the US prison in Cuba, which has long been referred to as the ‘Gulag of our times’ for its legacy of torture, degradation and indefinite detention. Yazidi has been held at Guantanamo since it opened on January 11, 2002, and was cleared for release over a decade ago, human rights groups say.
The 59-year-old was never charged with a crime and has never been put in front of a court. The Tunisian national was accused of being a member of al Qaeda, with ties to its leadership, according to a 2007 US military assessment. But such assessments have proven unreliable and derived from torture, or false statements provided by co-detainees eager to curry favor or get better treatment, human rights groups have long argued. Ridah Bin Saleh Al Yazidi, 59, was returned to his home country of Tunisia on Monday Yazidi had been cleared for transfer since 2007, by both the George W Bush and Obama administrations, according to Human Rights First. But a deal for his release was never made, and he remained in the prison for more than a decade after that decision. His transfer is the fourth in two weeks by the Biden administration as part of efforts to reduce the military prison’s population, which held 40 people when the Democrat took office in 2020. Yazidi was ‘determined transfer-eligible by a rigorous interagency review process’, the Pentagon said in a statement. ‘On January 31, 2024, Secretary of Defence Austin notified Congress of his intent to support this repatriation and, in consultation with our partner in Tunisia, we completed the requirements for responsible transfer,’ it adde
Guantanamo Bay Prisoner Release Detention Al Qaeda Human Rights
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Joseph Corcoran's haunting final words before becoming Indiana's first executed prisoner in 15 yearsJoseph Corcoran, 49, was pronounced dead at 12:44am CST Wednesday at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana.
Read more »
Strangeways slammed in damning report after death of prisoner, 32'We have identified a significant number of concerns'
Read more »
Wife of Life-Sentence Prisoner Reveals Their Unexpected RomanceMontreanna, 26, shares her story of being reunited with Manny, a life-sentence prisoner, after nine years of separation. Despite the challenges, she says she is content with their prison marriage.
Read more »
Mysterious 16th century Tower of London prisoner's graffiti solved for the first timeThe Tower of London imprisoned the two princes, Edward V and Richard Duke of York, Anne Boleyn, her daughter Princess Elizabeth, and Guy Fawkes.
Read more »
Family of Lowdham Grange prisoner given his last note 16 months after deathAnthony Binfield was found in his cell at the prison with a ligature around his neck in March 2023
Read more »
Ex-Prisoner Rearrested for Lewd Phone Calls from Prison CellCarl Fahy, 35, was rearrested after bombarding Age UK with over 50 lewd phone calls during his prison stay. He masturbated during calls, making sexual noises and targeting female staff members. Fahy was sentenced to an additional 14 months in prison.
Read more »