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May 23, 2016

Guantánamo Prisoner Obaidullah Cleared for Release After 14 Years
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A Guantánamo prisoner held for 14 years without criminal trial has been
cleared for release. U.S. forces captured the prisoner, known as
Obaidullah, during a raid in Afghanistan in 2002 when he was 19. He was
accused of planting bombs in a field near his home, although his
attorneys said the bombs were relics of the war against the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan which his family had buried in order to dispose
of them. The Obama administration dismissed the charges against him in
2011, but he remained in prison. He has alleged torture during
interrogation and was one of the prisoners who launched a hunger strike
in 2013; news reports at the time said he had lost 36 pounds. Despite
Obama's pledge to close Guantánamo, there are now 80 prisoners there, 28
of them cleared to leave.
Topics:Afghanistan Guantanamo

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