Accessibility links

Breaking News
News

UN Human Rights Chief Calls on US to Abolish Secret CIA Prisons

update

U.N. top human rights official Louise Arbour has called on the United States to abolish all of its secret overseas prisons it recently admitted using for the interrogation of terrorism suspects.

A spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says Arbour views President Bush's announcement this week that 14 terror suspects have been transferred from secret CIA detention facilities to the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as significant, but not enough.

The official, Jose Diaz, said Friday Arbour is urging the Bush administration to completely abolish its program of secret detentions.

The spokesman says the U.N. human rights chief has said "secret and incommunicado detention" infringe on international standards, and can create an environment ripe for other abusive conduct.

Mr. Bush's announcement Wednesday is the first time the United States had confirmed its Central Intelligence Agency interrogated terror suspects at secret overseas prisons.

Washington would not say where 14 suspects were held before they were transferred to the facility at Guantanamo Bay.

European Union officials are demanding the locations of the CIA detention centers be made public.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

XS
SM
MD
LG