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NARRATION
The U-N report says that the Guantanamo Bay prison should be closed because it is effectively a torture camp where inmates have no access to justice.
The camp opened in 2002. It houses prisoners picked up in Afghanistan and other countries after September 11th, 2001.
U-N chief Kofi Annan distanced himself from the report. But he says he agrees with its basic point -- that detainees should either be tried or released.
ANNAN
Sooner or later there will be a need to close Guantanamo. It will be up to the government to decide hopefully to do it as soon as possible.
NARRATION
The report details excessive violence during transportation of detainees and force feeding of hunger strikers. It also says that the US military acts as judge, prosecutor and defense in the special trials at the base.
The U-S rejected the call to close the detention camp, and called the report a discredit to the U-N.
U-S Ambassador to the world body John Bolton says whether or not Guantanamo closes is up to officials in Washington.
BOLTON
That is a decision that the government will make. The responsible authorities in Washington will make it. I don't play any role in that decision, and I'm not going to comment on it.
NARRATION
Although the U-S diplomats wouldn't comment, journalist Philippe Bolopion, who has written extensively about Guantanamo says the U-N report gives weight to allegations of abuse.
BOLOPION
When they say that torture is happening it means that torture is happening. When they say that this is arbitrary detention, then this is the case. Until now only NGOs had been saying such a thing, and now you have the UN strongly condemning what's happening here.
NARRATION
Some of the hearings at Guantanamo have been suspended because of legal challenges. But US military officials hope they'll start again by the end of the month.
Tamara Rosenberg, Columbia Radio News.