11 Yemeni Detainees Released from Guantanamo After Over Two Decades of Detention Without Trial

London - CAGE International welcomes the release of 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Oman by the United States, after being held for more than two decades without charge or trial—despite some having been cleared for release years ago. 

While this marks a positive development and continues the recent trend of detainee releases, it also raises pressing questions about U.S. accountability and the reintegration of former detainees into society.

There are now only 15 men remaining in Guantanamo, a significant reduction from its peak of nearly 800 detainees. This marks a substantial step forward in the effort to close Guantanamo Bay for good.

Mansoor Adayfi Former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, survivor of CIA black sites, and CAGE International Guantanamo Project coordinator said:

“As a former Guantanamo prisoner, I welcome the release of 11 Yemeni brothers to Oman. Their freedom is long overdue, but this moment is bittersweet. While they leave behind the horrors of Guantanamo, their lives have been irreparably scarred by decades of unjust imprisonment without charge or trial. Some of these men endured abuse and torture in CIA black sites, including a young boy who was only 16 years old when he was sold by the Pakistani government—the youngest among them. 

This release is a reminder of the deep injustices of the War on Terror and the urgent need to close Guantanamo and demand accountability for the lives destroyed by its existence.”