UN special rapporteur to visit Washington and Guantanamo Bay on Feb. 6

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Feb 2023 00:07

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, UN special rapporteur on protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, will visit the US between February 6 and 14.

In this photo reviewed by U.S. military officials, the sun sets behind the closed Camp X-Ray detention facility, Wednesday, April 17, 2019, in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The UN special rapporteur on protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Fionnuala Ni Aolain, is expected to begin her US visit on Monday.

According to a UN statement, the expert will visit "Washington and subsequently the detention facility at the US naval station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba," adding that the visit will take place "between February 6 and 14."

The expert, who is employed by the UN Human Rights Council but is not compensated and does not speak on behalf of the UN, will release a statement on her conclusions and suggestions once the visit is concluded.

The statement further explained that Ni Aolain, over the next three months, "will also carry out a series of interviews with individuals in the United States and abroad, on a voluntary basis, including victims and families of victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and former detainees in countries of resettlement/repatriation."

Earlier, in March 2022, Ni Aolain said that she had a "preliminary invitation" from Washington to go enter Guantanamo Bay, but that the arrangements for the trip were still being worked out.