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U.S. releases Rabbani brothers from prison after 20 years without charges

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1 month ago

February 24, 2023

The United States has deported Abdul Rabbani, 55, and Mohammed Rabbani, 53, to their native country of Pakistan after holding them at the controversial U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for almost two decades without charges

In 2002, the Rabbani brothers were arrested by authorities in their home-country for allegedly operating al-Qaida safe houses before immediately handing them over to the custody of the U.S. authorities.

On Thursday, the United States Defence Department announced the two brothers had been repatriated to Pakistan after almost 20 years in Guantanamo Bay, the military prison established in 2002 in the country of Cuba during the American war on terror, without formal charges.

The prison is well known for its brutality, with American officials carrying out extrajudicial treatment of detainees including torture, physical and psychological abuses and other human rights violations and has attracted criticism from several a arms of the public.

It was stated the two brothers are “no longer necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the security of the United States.”

The decision to release the brothers came just one month after Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin notified Congress about the decision to send them back to Pakistan, stating it had gained authorisation from the country’s consulate.

“The United States appreciates the willingness of the Government of Pakistan and other partners to support ongoing U.S. efforts focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guantanamo Bay facility,” the Pentagon said Thursday.

The Rabbani brothers are latest detainees to released from Guantanamo Bay as United States President Joe Biden intensify the efforts to shut down the controversial prison.