Guantanamo Bay: Illegal Detention, Torture, and Denial

In "Subject to Solution: Problems in Cuban-U.S. Relations," author Rafael Hernandez Rodriquez claims, "It's no secret,...that the main mission of the naval bases in this area of the Gulf is to control, police and spy on Cuba."

Beginning in 1959, the United States has paid Cuba a paltry sum of 2,000 pesos per year for the yearly lease of Guantanamo Bay; the checks remain uncashed by the Cuban government who assert that Guantanamo is rightfully theirs and should be returned to Cuba as the Panama Canal was returned to Panama (2000), Hong Kong was returned to China by the UK (1997), and Portugal returned Macau Island to China (1999).

Yet, Cuba's concerns of U.S. military controlling, policing and spying on Cuba pale in comparison to the continued human rights violations alleged at Guantanamo Bay, including illegal detention, torture, and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatement.

On May 8th, Amnesty International launched a U.S. tour of a life-size Guantanamo Bay prison cell replica. The tour is designed to bring attention to the human rights violations at Guantanamo, and can be viewed here: http://celltour.amnesty.org/2008/05/