BBC fail to mention Obama's replacement for Guantanamo

08 AUG 2009

Sent about a month ago. No reply to date.

Dear BBC,

there is no mention on your website about the work expanding the detention facility at Bagram airbase, Afghanistan, as authorized by President Obama.

This was reported in the Hull Stop the War Newsletter 3 months ago and widely reported elsewhere, such as this Alternet story.

The reason that this is important is that Bagram is going to expand from its present 600 prisoners to nearly double that. It can then actually replace Guantanamo in terms of the numbers held. 

Despite the much-vaunted closure of Guantanamo by Jan 2010, Bagram is set to double in size and rapidly become its replacement. Ie, the deckchairs are being moved around but there's no real change in policy.

There is a lot of coverage of Obama's plans to close Gitmo "within a year" but none on this. This - to a global news leader - is a shame.

Martin Deane
Hull

Bagram detention facility upgrade at - Alternet -  Zimbio - GettyImages - Stratfor - USlaw - 

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