Military Commissions

Highlights:

An American flag flies behind barbed wire fencing at the Office of Military Commissions building on June 27, 2023 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Guantanamo Dispatch: Military Ends USS Cole Hearing Early for Health Emergency

Pretrial hearings in the USS Cole bombing case ended abruptly on Wednesday after the case's death-penalty defense lawyer had a health emergency.

Twenty-Five Years After 9/11, It Is Time to Repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force and End the Forever War

Successive administrations have stretched the AUMF beyond any reasonable interpretation to wage worldwide war, without foreseeable end.

Guantanamo Dispatch: Innocent or Guilty, Accused USS Cole Bomber May Never Go Free

Even if the jury were to acquit him, the U.S. military could still continue to hold the suspect in the USS Cole bombing case indefinitely.
The Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Cole is shown at sea approximately one month before being attacked by a terrorist-suicide mission which killed 17 U.S. sailors and injured approximately 36 others during a refueling operation October 12, 2000 in the port of Aden, Yemen.

Guantanamo Dispatch: Prosecutors Turn to Remote Testimony For First-Ever Capital Trial at Guantanamo

The witnesses in Guantanamo’s first-ever death penalty trial, the USS Cole bombing case, are expected to testify by video feed.
The Camp Justice sign near the Military Commissions court area at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Guantanamo Dispatch: Military Judge Orders Last Minute Sanity Board in USS Cole Bombing Case

A new mental health exam for the defendant, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, could signal delay in the USS Cole bombing case before jury selection begins at Guantanamo Bay.
The Pentagon Office Building is seen from the air on August 25, 2026, in Arlington, VA.

Guantanamo Dispatch: Another Confession Is Ruled Inadmissible in 9/11 Case

A military judge has thrown out the confessions of Mustafa al-Hawsawi, a capital defendant in the 9/11 case at Guantanamo Bay.
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181 Articles

Guantanamo Dispatch: The USS Cole Case Edges Toward Trial

Carol Rosenberg reports from Guantanamo Bay on the upcoming pre-trial hearing in the USS Cole bombing case.
A sign for Camp Justice in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba.

Twenty-Five Years After 9/11 – and Still Waiting for Justice

Because of the United States' use of torture on the September 11 suspects, justice for the 9/11 plotters remains elusive 25 years later.
A photo shows a building with beige siding and a banner hanging below a window with a seal and the words "Office of Military Commissions."

How Much (or How Little) Does the Biden Administration Want Justice in the 9/11 Case?

Secretary of Defense Austin's actions to reverse a plea deal for three defendants at Guantanamo may further jeopardize the prosecution's case.
A white sign with blue writing on it reads "Camp Justice" with a blue sky behind it and a U.S. flag flying above.

Revoking the 9/11 Plea Deals: Human Rights Consequences

Defense Secretary Austin's decision to discard the 9/11 plea deals at the Guantanamo military commissions is a missed opportunity for the United States to achieve a rule of law-compliant…

Train Wreck at Guantánamo

Leading expert on military justice analyzes the extraordinary turn of events in on again, off again plea deals in 9/11 military commissions cases, and what should happen next.
A white sign with blue writing on it reads "Camp Justice" with a blue sky behind it and a U.S. flag flying above.

Another Lost Year on Guantanamo

Guantanamo continues to cause profound damage both inside and outside of its walls. The steps to close the facility are there for the taking.
A guard tower is shown with a U.S. flag in the middle and bared wire next to the tower.

Accountability and Legacy at Guantanamo: Some Progress, Still A Long Way to Go

As we mark the 22nd anniversary of Guantanamo, we have an obligation to look to the long-term to support the victims of torture.
The empty courtroom of the Commissions building where on Tuesday preliminary hearings will begin for four detainees held on the Naval Base is seen August 22, 2004 in Guantanamo, Cuba. Six flags stand at the front of the room.

9/11 Family Members Can Get Answers through Plea Agreements, Not a Trial

The impending 22nd anniversary of our loved ones’ deaths is a truly fitting occasion to end the failed 9/11 military commission, answer our questions, and assure us of judicial…
Prison barbed ware, with a cloudy blue sky in the background

Biden Must Act on Landmark UN Special Rapporteur Guantanamo Report

The Biden administration's willingness to open itself up to difficult external scrutiny should be commended, but the UN Special Rapporteur's findings should also be a wakeup call…
barbed wire fence

Takeaways from the UN Special Rapporteur Report on Guantanamo

The United States should make good on its commitment to follow through on the Special Rapporteur's Guantanamo report.
A physical therapy room with medical equipment

The Role of Culture in Torture and its Absence in Guantanamo’s Medical Care System

Culturally competent medical care, including to the extent possible care provided by independent medical experts of the detainees’ nationalities, is needed at Guantanamo now.
Barbed wire fence

A Big Few Weeks for Guantanamo: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

"It’s been an uncharacteristically Guantanamo-news-filled few weeks – some good, some bad, some ugly. Here’s a quick rundown of recent developments."
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