Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The United States of America ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1992. Article 10 of that covenant requires that "All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person". I would expect no less from the US authorities than that they would ensure that Mr. Manning is held in conditions which are in accordance with their obligations as a state party to the ICCPR.

With regard to Guantanamo, Ireland has consistently called for the closure of the Guantanamo detention centre and for the bringing to trial or release of those detained there. We, along with our EU partners, are disappointed at recent developments and at the resumption of military trials of detainees. When I met last week with US Secretary of State Clinton, I expressed the Government's disappointment at the recent decision to maintain the Guantanamo detention facility and expressed the hope that all remaining inmates would be released or brought to trial.

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