Dear Friends, 

Yesterday the Department of Defense announced the transfer of 11 men from the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. The transfer leaves 15 men still being held in the detention center. This Saturday, January 11th, marks 23 years since the opening of the Guantánamo Bay prison in the opening chapter of the United States’ failed "war on terror."

The transfer to Oman of these 11 Yemeni men who were held in Guantánamo more than twenty years after they were first detained, despite the fact that none of them were ever charged with a crime, brings a mix of emotions. There is the joy and relief that they have finally been released from the prison, and sorrow and frustration that the prison was not closed years ago. Six of the remaining 15 men have never been charged with any crime, and three have already been cleared for transfer.

Thank you for your part over the years in calling for the closure of Guantánamo and an end to indefinite detention. This week there are a number of ways you can take action:

• Join us in calling on the Biden Administration to transfer the remaining men who have already been cleared for transfer - send a message to President Biden today.
• On January 11th and monthly on the first Wednesday of the month, NRCAT is co-sponsoring vigils and rallies in cities across the country to call for the closure of the prison and end to indefinite detention. If your religious or community organization would like to host or co-sponsor an event or to receive a “Close Guantánamo” banner, please contact Rev. T.C. Morrow at [email protected].
• Make a donation to the Guantánamo Survivors Fund, organized by several organizations including Witness Against Torture and No More Guantánamos. Since the fund’s launch in 2022, more than 40 grants have been made to help men formerly held at Guantánamo and their families with housing, health care, transportation, and more.
• Join the online event “Guantánamo Uncovered: A conversation with the New York Times' Serial Podcast” on Thursday, January 9th at 7pm ET. Staff from the Center for Victims of Torture will join Serial producers to discuss their in-depth reporting on Guantánamo through their season 4 episodes. Register here for the January 9th online event.

Our collective witness is making a difference, and together we will continue the push for upholding human dignity and closing Guantánamo once and for all.

Sincerely,

Rev. Ron Stief
Executive Director