Human rights organizations are criticizing President Obama’s decision to revive the military tribunal system for Guantanamo Bay prisoners despite the administration’s pledge to grant prisoners expanded legal rights.

Stacy Sullivan of Human Rights Watch: “This has been tried before. The first round of military commissions was struck down by the Supreme Court. They were revived under slightly improved rules, and once again they were still profoundly unfair. They allowed coerced evidence into the courtroom, and they allowed evidence that was — they had terrible hearsay rules. The judges didn’t even know what the rules were. The proceedings were totally chaotic. This will be the third time that there is an effort to resurrect the military commissions, and we have absolutely no faith that they’re going to be any better, even if you do improve the rules slightly.”

On Friday, President Obama unveiled new legal protections for prisoners in the renewed system. These include bans on hearsay evidence and evidence obtained through torture, as well as giving prisoners more leeway in selecting their military counsel. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs defended the tribunal system.

Robert Gibbs: “The President, as I said, during the debate said that properly structured military commissions had a role to play. The changes that he is seeking, he believes, will ensure the protections that are necessary for these to be conducted in order to reach that certain justice, as well as live up to our values.”