20 years of detention at Guantanamo

Since the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, opened in 2002, up to 780 people have been held there – the vast majority without charge or trial. Today, 39 detainees remain


NUMBER OF DETAINEES AT GUANTANAMO 

Total detainees 780
Released / transferred 732
Remaining 39
Died in custody 9

Jan 11, 2002: Prison opens under administration of George W. Bush

Jan 2009: Barack Obama orders Guantanamo to be shut down within a year. It stays open

Feb 2021: Joe Biden’s administration launches formal review of prison, with aim of closing controversial facility before he leaves office

Jul 2021: Biden transfers first detainee

	
624 656	550 496	396 277	248 198 174 171 166 155 127 107 59 41   40 40   40 39
2002 	2004 	2006 	2008 	2010 	2012 	2014 	2016 	2018 	2020
Bush 			Obama				Trump


STATUS OF REMAINING DETAINEES

12 Charged by U.S. military
13 Recommended for transfer if security conditions are met
14 Being held in indefinite detention without charge or trial


Sources: Council on Foreign Relations, New York Times 
Picture: Getty Images 
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