An international human rights organization has accused U.S. officials of abusing detainees at the Guantánamo prison, including reports of torture and forced feeding.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights claimed “there was a general and systematic violation of human rights” in Guantánamo, according to Rodrigo Escobar Gil, one of the body’s seven commissioners.

Among the allegations were those of detainees who spent months on a hunger strike being forced feed by Guantánamo authorities. The forced feeding constituted “cruel and inhumane treatment,” Escobar Gil told Agence France-Presse.

More than 100 prisoners participated in the hunger strike, which ended last month, to protest being held indefinitely at the American facility in Cuba.

As many as 46 detainees were force-fed through nasal tubes. U.S. officials said the procedure, known as enteral feeding, was used only to protect the protesters’ life and health.

Gil said the commission has demanded full access to Guantánamo to inspect conditions and speak directly with detainees.

“We have reports of torture and degrading treatment. But all our requests for visits without conditions have been denied. We want to know when they are going to allow visits without pre-conditions,” Escobar Gil told the French news service.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Commission Finds ‘Systematic Violation of Human Rights’ at Guantanamo Bay (Agence France-Presse)

Inter-American Commission Calls for Closure of Guantanamo in Public Hearing (Center for Constitutional Rights)

Guantánamo Hunger Strikers Ask for End of Force Feeding during Ramadan (by Matt Bewig, AllGov)

Why are More Than Half of Guantánamo Prisoners now on Hunger Strike? (by Matt Bewig, AllGov)