Please sign the petition to shut down Guantanamo Bay Prison.

http://avaaz.org/en/obama_shut_down_gitmo_ss/?tgGvFab

From the Avaaz petition website:

In hours, President Obama could finally move to close Guantanamo -- the most notorious prison camp on earth.

With inmates on a 100-day hunger strike and the UN denouncing their force feeding as torture, Obama has been pushed to respond with a major speech about the prison. If enough of us demand a plan -- he could free the prisoners already cleared for release, and appoint a White House official with one mission: close Guantanamo down!

We're at a tipping point. Sign up to demand Obama close this shameful gulag down, and share the shocking facts below so others join this urgent call.

The facts speak for themselves:

• Detainees in Guantanamo now: 166
• Detainees facing active charges: 6
• Detainees cleared for immediate release, but stuck in the camp: 86
• Guantanamo inmates on hunger strike: 103
• Hunger strikers strapped down and force fed: 30
• Prisoners who have died in custody: 9
• Children the US has held at Guantanamo: 21
• Detainees tried in civilian court: 1
• Detainees who can't be tried for lack of evidence or torture: 50
• Prisoners released by the Bush administration: 500+
• Prisoners released by the Obama administration: 72
• Current annual cost to US taxpayers: $150 million
• Days since Obama first pledged to close Gitmo: 1579
• Time since first prisoners arrived at Guantanamo:

11 years, 4 months, 11 days ...
Thanks so much for your help.

Safe and just alternatives to inedfinite detention in Australia

http://theconversation.com/as-a-high-court-challenge-looms-are-there-alternatives-to-australias-indefinite-detention-policy-14498 From "The Conversation" newspaper's website:

The UK was dealing with people against who there was compelling evidence of their terrorist involvement (often with al-Qaeda) and of direct danger to UK citizens. There is no indication that Australia’s refugees with suspected Tamil Tiger links pose an equivalent threat.

If control orders are not possible for some individuals (for example, if the intelligence is too sensitive) there are other means to apply any necessary restrictions. University of Sydney’s Professor of International Law Ben Saul has noted that:( Read more... )

detention.