A federal judge in Washington denied a request by the U.S. Department of Justice to seal an upcoming hearing over force-feeding practices at the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility. The request was “deeply troubling,” U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler wrote.
“With such a long-standing and ongoing public interest at stake, it would be particularly egregious to bar the public from observing the credibility of live witnesses, the substance of their testimony, whether proper procedures are being followed, and whether the court is treating all participants fairly,” the judge said.
