US reveals mass Guantanamo action

[Keevan_Colton]

Twenty-three prisoners tried to hang or strangle themselves during a mass protest at Guantanamo Bay in 2003, the US military has revealed.

The action took place during a period of several days in August that year, the military said in a statement.

A spokesman said the incidents were "gestures" aimed at getting attention, and only two of the prisoners were considered suicidal.

Officials would not say why they had not previously reported the incident.

The detention centre at the US base in Cuba currently holds about 550 detainees.

They are mostly suspected Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters captured during the war in Afghanistan, many of whom have been held for more than three years without charge or access to lawyers.

Transferred

A total of 23 prisoners tried to hang or strangle themselves in their cells from 18 to 26 August 2003, the US Southern Command in Miami, which covers Guantanamo, said in a statement on Monday.

There were 10 such cases on 22 August alone, the military said.

However, only two of the 23 prisoners were considered to be attempting suicide.

Of those 23 prisoners, 16 are still at Guantanamo Bay while seven have been transferred to other countries.

The military has reported 34 suicide attempts at Guantanamo Bay since January 2002.

In 2003, there were 350 incidents of self-harm, including 120 "hanging gestures", army spokesman Lt Col Sumpter told the Associated Press news agency.

Army Gen Jay Hood, in command of Guantanamo, has said that the number of such incidents has gone down since a psychiatric ward was set up at the camp in 2003.

Last year, there were 110 incidents of self-harm, Lt Col Sumpter said.

BBC

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

The fact is, I'm really not all that shocked...

[weemadando]

Gee, what a shock, people held in conditions that most WW2 prison camp commandants would be jealous of for several years, often with no reason given, and more often without them even being allowed to contact their family, let alone RECEIVE contact from them... And did I mention no real end to the internment in sight for most? And the physical and mental torture, being forced into actions that go against their religious beliefs and general inhuman treatment.

Sure, I'll believe that there have been that many suicide attempts. I'm suprised that there aren't more.