United States Transfers Guantanamo Bay Detainee to Switzerland

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Justice today announced that a detainee has been transferred from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Switzerland for resettlement in Switzerland.  The Swiss Government, with the support of the Canton of Geneva, accepted an Uzbek national for resettlement and his transfer was carried out according to arrangements between the governments of the United States and Switzerland.

As directed by the President's Jan. 22, 2009, Executive Order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of the case.  As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, the detainee was approved for transfer by unanimous consent among all the agencies involved in the Task Force.  In accordance with congressionally-mandated reporting requirements, the Administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer the detainee at least 15 days before his transfer.

The identity of the individual is being withheld at the request of the Swiss government, in the interest of protecting the individual's privacy and facilitating his transition to life in Switzerland.  The United States is grateful to the Government of Switzerland and the Canton of Geneva for their willingness to support U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Since 2002, more than 570 detainees have departed Guantanamo Bay for other destinations, including Albania, Algeria, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Chad, Denmark, Egypt, France, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Palau, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Yemen.

Today, 192 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice