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Amnesty International Calls for Investigation Into Guantanamo Bay Prison

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The human rights group, Amnesty International, says its members are petitioning the U.S. government, demanding an investigation into allegations of abuse at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The group Wednesday released new testimony from detainees alleging physical and psychological torture and mistreatment at the detention facility.

Amnesty International is also demanding trials for all detainees.

U.S. officials have repeatedly said the prisoners are being treated humanely, and that because they are enemy combatants and not prisoners-of-war, they are not entitled to the protections of the Geneva Convention.

The prison at Guantanamo Bay has been the focus of controversy since it opened four years ago, due to allegations of abuse and the prolonged detention of suspects without charges.

The U.S. military says it is holding some 500 enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay. Most of the prisoners were captured in Afghanistan, and are suspected of having ties to al-Qaida or the former Taleban regime.

Last month, the White House and key U.S. lawmakers reached an agreement on legislation to ban all forms of torture on anyone in U.S. custody.

President Bush has said that deal makes it clear to the world that the U.S. government does not torture.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

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