Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón, has opened an investigation into suspected torture of detainees at the military base in Guantanamo.
The Spanish investigative magistrate at the National Court in Madrid, said he would investigate allegations made in testimony by four detainees (Hamed Abderrahman Ahmed, Lahcen Ikassrien, Jamiel Abdul Latif al Banna and Omar Deghayes) who had been held in Guantamano and later released without charges.
The torture allegations include “sexual abuse”, “beating” and the throwing of fluids into prisoner’s eyes.
Garzon said in his order the declassified documents showed “an authorized and systematic plan for torture and harsh treatment of people deprived of their freedom without any charges and without the most basic elemental rights for detainees, set forth and demanded by international treaties.”
Since 2005, Spain has operated under the principle of “universal jurisdiction.” This doctrine allows courts to go beyond national borders in cases of torture, terrorism or war crimes, although the government reportedly aims to limit the scope of the legal process.
More than 800 detainees have been held at the US military prison since 2002.
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