HUMANE TREATMENT OF GTMO RETURNEES VERIFIED BY

S E C R E T SANAA 001360 SIPDIS SIPDIS S/WCI, L/PM, DRL/MLGA, NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2017 TAGS: KAWC PHUM PREL PTER YM SUBJECT: HUMANE TREATMENT OF GTMO RETURNEES VERIFIED BY THIRD PARTY REF: A. STATE 91457 ¶B. STATE 40687 ¶C. SANAA 1190 ¶D. KHOURY-WALKER E-MAIL OF 06-06-2007 Classified By: CDA ANGIE BRYAN, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 1.(C) This cable is in response to reftel A. ¶2. (C) There have been no credible reports of inhumane treatment of the four Guantanamo detainees that returned to Yemen on June 19. ¶3. (S) ICRC was granted access by the ROYG to the four Guantanamo returnees (see reftel A). ICRC requested access to the returnees on June 21 and was granted access by June ¶26. ICRC visited the Political Security Prison on June 26 and was given a room in which to meet with each of the prisoners. ICRC noted to PolOff that all four prisoners were given the opportunity to meet with them. However, not all chose to do so. ICRC did not provide any further details. ¶4. (S) In response to PolOff,s question on the humanitarian treatment of the returnees by Yemeni authorities, ICRC refused to respond, explaining that their conversations with detainees are strictly confidential. However, ICRC did reveal that none/none of the detainees they spoke to claimed that they had been tortured or otherwise mistreated while in ROYG custody. ¶5. (S) An NGO run by Yemeni lawyers, HOOD (National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms),has not yet been granted access to visit the four recently returned Guantanamo detainees. However, HOOD has been in continuous contact with family members of the returnees. HOOD told PolOff on June 27 that family members had been granted access by the ROYG to visit the prisoners. Families have been granted visits on every Wednesday of every week, since June ¶27. According to HOOD, no family member has reported that his imprisoned relative has suffered inhumane treatment in ROYG custody. ¶6. (S) Post has repeatedly underscored the importance of security, humane treatment, and access assurances with the ROYG at the highest levels (refs C and D). The question of access was most recently raised with Minister of Interior Alimi on June 30, who said there would be "no problem" in response to our request that the four detainees returned to Yemen on June 19 have access to third party visits. Post will continue to monitor and periodically report on the status of repatriated Yemeni Guantanamo Bay detainees, both in terms of security and humanitarian issues, per the modalities in State 40687. BRYAN