Guantanamo captives' habeas corpus petitions
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The captives at the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba have had over 200 writs of habeas corpus submitted on their behalf.
[edit] The Great Writ
Habeas corpus is sometimes called "The Great Writ". It is a legal instrument first guaranteed following the signing of the Magna Carta. Its literal meaning is "show the body". Its purpose is to prevent the state from holding prisoners in extrajudicial detention. When a writ of habeas corpus is filed with a court in countries which inherit elements of their judicial system from the English system of Justice the state has to show that there is a legal basis for the captive's detention -- usually that they are suspected of having broken a law.
[edit] Are Guantanamo captives eligible for the protections of habeas corpus?
Initially the Bush Administration asserted that the Guantanamo captives didn't qualify for any of the rights and protections of captives held in the USA, because the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is not on US territory.
This executive branch assertion was challenged before the judicial branch.
[edit] Role of the Center for Constitutional Rights
The Center for Constitutional Rights took a lead role in helping to organize the activities of lawyers willing to offer their services, pro bono, to the Guantanamo captives.
Submitting writs of habeas corpus was made more difficult at first, because part of the Bush detainee policy was to keep the identity of the Guantanamo captives a secret. A writ has to be submitted by a "next friend". Some of the captives had family who would have authorized American lawyers to submit writs on their behalf, but they had no way of contacting them. Some of the captives, and their relatives are totally illiterate. Other captives' families had no idea where they were, had no idea that they were in Guantanamo.
[edit] The Supreme Court rules on Rasul v. Bush
In the summer of 2004 the United States Supreme Court ruled on the habeas corpus submission Rasul v. Bush. The Supreme Court confirmed that the aspect of the Bush Presidency's detainee policy that asserted that the captives should have no access to the protections of habeas corpus was unconstitutional.
[edit] Detainee Treatment Act of 2005
The Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 prohibited US military and intelligence personnel from treating captives in ways inconsistent with Armed Forces regulations. But it also restricted Guantanamo captives from filing new writs of habeas corpus. The act did not close off the habeas corpus submission that were already in the works.
[edit] The Supreme Court rules on Hamdan v. Rumsfeld
In the summer of 2006 the Supreme Court ruled that the Bush Presidency lacked the Constitutional authority to empower Guantanamo military commissions. They did rule, however, that the United States Congress did have the authority to empower trial by military commission of the Guantanamo captives.
[edit] Military Commissions Act of 2006
In addition to authorizing military commissions similar to those the Supreme Court overturned the Military Commissions Act of 2006 was intended to close off all the remaining writs of habeas corpus.
[edit] The Supreme Court and the Military Commissions Act
On June 29, 2007 the Supreme Court agreed to hear outstanding habeas corpus, opening up the possibility that they might overturn some or all of the Military Commissions Act.[1]
[edit] Lists of habeas petitions filed on behalf of War on Terror captives
Over two hundred captives apprehended in the USA's war on terror have had habeas petitions files on their behalf.
[edit] The proposed Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007
Senators Patrick D. Leahy and Arlen Specter have proposed Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007, to restore access to habeas corpus to the Guantanamo captives.[2] Debate began on the bill on September 17, 2007. It has been attached, as an amendment, to a Defense bill.
[edit] References
- ^ Jeannie Shawl. "Supreme Court to hear Guantanamo Bay detainee habeas cases", The Jurist, Friday, June 29, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-06-29.
- ^ "Justice for Detainees: Congress can right a wrong in the war on terrorism", Washington Post, Tuesday, September 18, 2007, p. A18. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
[edit] External links
- Linda Greenhouse. "Court cases pit US presidential power against detainees' rights", Taipei Times, Wednesday, April 21, 2004. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
