Amnesty International reacts to the closing of Guantanamo Bay

Amnesty International is reacting with “tempered enthusiasm” to the announcement that the American prison at Guantanamo Bay will close in one year, said the group’s Canadian spokesperson.
“Enthusiasm because it clearly indicates a change of tone between the Bush and Obama administrations. Tempered because it brings some other concerns. One thing is certain, there will be nothing to celebrate until the prisoners are out of there and given a fair trial,” said spokesperson Anne Sainte-Marie.
Amnesty has called for the prison to be closed since it opened in 2002, Sainte-Marie said she doubted the prison would actually be closed, until the announcement was actually made.
“By it’s the very nature of non-supportive of any governmental organization, Amnesty International always doubts,” she said. “As good as Obama seems to be, we will keep looking and questioning what he does and plans. If it’s the right thing to do, he will have our support, if not, we will condemn his actions.”
But with the prison closing, Sainte-Marie said she still has concerns about what kind of system will replace it. Her group is also calling for the only Canadian in the prison, Omar Khadr, to be repatriated to Canada.
“We ask that Khadr be repatriated to Canada and be given a fair trial where his past as child-soldier will be heard and considered,” Sainte-Marie explained. “We also ask that he is given psychological and even health support and that he be supervised into a gradual reinsertion in society.”