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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Constitution Project
Contact:

Matthew Allee, (202) 580-6922 or mallee@constitutionproject.org

"Prolonged Detention" Would Continue Ruinous Policies of Guantanamo, Says Constitution Project

Nation needs to return to the rule of law

WASHINGTON

Today, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution is
scheduled to hold a hearing titled "The Legal, Moral, and National
Security Consequences of 'Prolonged Detention.'" President Obama raised
the possibility of a "prolonged detention" policy in his address to the
nation on national security issues last month. The Constitution Project
calls on Congress to restore the rule of law and oppose indefinite
detention without charge for suspected terrorists.

The following can be attributed to Virginia Sloan, president of the Constitution Project:
"Guantanamo Bay and the detention policies developed there
have betrayed our nation's commitment to the rule of law and damaged
our standing in the world. The detention facility must be closed and
the policies ended. Whatever we call it, any new or continued system
for indefinitely detaining suspected terrorists without charge
undermines the fundamental principles enshrined in our Constitution and
will continue to make our nation less safe.
"We applaud Senator Feingold for holding today's hearing, and
call on the Senate to oppose any 'prolonged detention' policy proposed
by President Obama. Importing a system of preventive detention from
Guantanamo would condemn us to repeat the mistakes of our recent
history. What our nation needs instead is a recommitment to the rule of
law."
The Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee
released a report, "A Critique of 'National Security Courts,'"
objecting to the policy of indefinite or preventive detention. The
report was updated in March to include endorsements from additional
former federal judges and prosecutors, and from supporting
organizations. To see the report, go to:
https://www.constitutionproject.org/manage/file/144.pdf

The Constitution Project is a politically independent think tank established in 1997 to promote and defend constitutional safeguards. More information about the Constitution Project is available at https://constitutionproject.org/.