Hungary to accept Guantanamo detainee

The Hungarian government said Wednesday that it would accept one prisoner of its choosing from those still held at Guantanamo Bay in order to aid in the closure of the detention center. According to a statement by Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, Hungary will accept a detainee from a list of candidates who will participate in an 18-month controlled integration process in the country.

Bajnai said his country will receive a Palestinian man. Bajnai also added that the candidate will be one who is not under investigation or subject to any judicial proceedings in the US or abroad, and must be one who is not able to return to his home country.

Earlier this month, US Department of Defense (DOD) general counsel Jeh Johnson said that the Obama administration was still hoping to meet the January deadline for closing the detention center at Guantanamo but that there were many challenges. The primary obstacle is the question of what should be done with detainees who cannot be released. Officials are reportedly still considering creating a military-civilian prison facility that would house its own court at a site in Michigan, but local residents have strongly opposed the plan. Officials are also considering trying detainees in federal courts, with cases assigned to federal prosecutors.

(Published by Jurist - September 16, 2009)