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Pentagon Manual Shows Red Cross Barred from Gitmo Prisoners

HeadlineNov 16, 2007

A newly disclosed secret manual from the Guantánamo Bay prison shows the Pentagon has made it official policy to deny prisoners access to monitors from the International Committee of the Red Cross. Written in 2003, the manual instructs guards to deny access to the Koran and bar Red Cross visits in order to “exploit the disorientation and disorganization felt by a newly arrived detainee.” The document also authorizes guards to prevent Red Cross visits even to long-term detainees. Legal experts say the policy could amount to a serious breach of international humanitarian law. The document was first posted on the website WikiLeaks. The Pentagon does not dispute its authenticity but says prisoners are now allowed Red Cross visits.

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