US Transfers Detainee Mohammed Bajabu to Kenya

Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu, a Kenyan national detained at Guantanamo Bay since 2007, has been repatriated to Kenya, reducing the number of detainees at the facility to 29. Bajabu, accused of ties to al-Qaeda's East Africa branch, was never charged with a crime, and his release follows a 2021 review board decision deeming his detention unnecessary for US national security. His release marks the first detainee transfer in over a year, as President Biden continues efforts to close Guantanamo, a goal previously set by President Obama. The facility, infamous for housing detainees extrajudicially, initially held nearly 800 prisoners post-9/11. Currently, 15 detainees are eligible for transfer, with the remaining 14 either facing charges or being held under other conditions. Bajabu's legal representatives from Reprieve US have highlighted the injustices he faced, including torture and prolonged separation from his family.