AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, November 13, 2009

Amnesty International Calls Transfer of 9/11 Suspects to Federal Courts "An Important Step" - Concerns Remain about Military Commissions

Human rights organization says detainees need to be charged and tried in a federal court or released immediately; military commissions are not acceptable

(Washington)- Tom Parker, Amnesty International USA policy director for (counter) terrorism and human rights, issued the following statement in response to the Obama administration’s announcement that several 9/11 detainees will be transferred to federal courts:

"It is entirely fitting that suspects of the worst act of terrorism committed on U.S. soil should be referred to the criminal courts with the most experience trying terrorism cases. With today’s narrow decision, the U.S. government has taken an important step toward reinstating the rule of law."

"However, the Obama administration appears to have referred some cases that could be tried in federal court to military commissions. The military commissions have already shown they cannot provide due process or fair trials; they should be abandoned."

"Federal courts not only provide a higher standard of justice than the military commissions, but have also proven more capable and effective in delivering justice for acts of terrorism: since 9/11, federal courts have convicted 195 people of terrorism offenses while military commissions have convicted only one person at trial."

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.2 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.

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For more information, please go to www.amnestyusa.org

Sharon Singh
Media Relations Director
Amnesty International USA
Washington DC 20003
(o) 202.544.0200x289
(m)202.459.8703

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