Imran Nasir

BEIJING (TSAT) – China on Wednesday called the US owned Guantanamo Bay prison as “a dark page” in the history of world human rights.

During his regular press briefing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that if ever there was a "detention camp" for Muslims; it would be the Guantanamo Bay.

“Since the arrival of the first prisoners 20 years ago, the US’ torture of the detainees has been frequently reported, evoking outrage in the international community,” Wang said.

He added that despite promises of the US to shut down the detention camp still 39 people they kept there after passing of 20 years while they charged only few people in convicted crimes.

“In fact, the US operates secret prisons all over the world, and Guantanamo is just the tip of the iceberg, Wang noted.

He was referring to the reports that the US set up a large number of secret prisons in Afghanistan and in its ally countries, as well,.

“infact, secret prisons set up by the US can be found across the world. The Guantánamo Bay prison is like a tip of the iceberg. According to reports, the US built many secret prisons in Afghanistan and US allies after waging the war in Afghanistan. The US military committed atrocities, torture and murder against civilians in Iraq after its invasion, and prisoner abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison shocked the world.” 

He accused the US military for committed atrocities, torture and murder against civilians in Iraq after its invasion, and prisoner abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison shocked the world. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Lithuania finally paid a compensation to the “forever prisoner” Abu Zubaydah jailed in a US secret prison in the suburb of Vilnius, which came more than three years after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Lithuania should give him compensation and 20 years after he was detained in the prison by the US without charge. 

“The “black sites” of the US such as the Guantánamo Bay prison reminds people of US’ record of atrocities against human rights. The US should earnestly reflect on itself, immediately close the Guantánamo Bay and all other secret prisons across the world. It should stop atrocities including arbitrary detention and torture of prisoners, and ask for apologies and compensations to the victims and bring to justice those who authorized and committed the torture” he concluded