The UN human rights chief, Navi Pillay, has urged the US to close Guantanamo Bay, saying the indefinite detention of many inmates there without charge or trial violates international law.

Ms Pillay said about half of 166 prisoners had been cleared to transfer either home or to third countries.

She also said she was “deeply disappointed” that the US was not honouring its pledge to close the camp.

It opened in 2002 to hold terrorism suspects after the 9/11 attacks.

President Barack Obama moved to close the facility at the US naval base in Cuba, but his plans to try suspects in US civilian courts were blocked by Congress.
‘Desperate act’

“The continuing indefinite incarceration of many of the detainees amounts to arbitrary detention and is in clear breach of international law,” Ms Pillay said in a statement on Friday.

“It severely undermines the United States’ stance that it is an upholder of human rights.

“When other countries breach these standards, the US – quite rightly – strongly criticises them for it,” she added.

Ms Pillay also said a continuing hunger strike among the inmates was a “desperate act” – but it was “scarcely surprising”.

Click here for the full story.