Rights Groups Protest Guantanamo Trial Exclusion [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

Rights Groups Protest Guantanamo Trial Exclusion
Tue February 24, 2004 12:17 AM ET

By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three human rights groups said on Tuesday the Pentagon denied their request to observe upcoming military tribunal trials of foreign terrorism suspects at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First had sought to send representatives to observe the trials, but the Pentagon responded that it planned to provide courtroom seating only for certain journalists and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Amnesty International spokesman Alistair Hodgett noted that the State Department annually criticizes other countries for closing trials to international monitors.

"It seems like that medicine can't be taken at home despite us prescribing it abroad," said Hodgett, noting that his organization has been permitted to observe trials in such nations as Libya and Egypt.
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http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4420884