Long-held Guantanamo Prisoner Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi Released and Repatriated to Tunisia

Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi, who had been detained at Guantanamo Bay since the prison's inception over two decades ago, has finally been released, according to the Pentagon. His repatriation to Tunisia was approved more than ten years prior, but it was only recently confirmed.

The 59-year-old al-Yazidi was taken to Guantanamo on January 11, 2002, and he is notable for being featured in a famous photograph taken at the facility. He is the last of twelve Tunisian detainees who were previously held at Guantanamo, with seven others still facing ongoing legal issues. The U.S. military released a statement indicating that it collaborated with Tunisian authorities for his safe transfer.

In December 2001, al-Yazidi was captured by Pakistani forces near Afghanistan, along with a group that included suspected bodyguards for Osama Bin Laden. A 2007 assessment classified him as a dangerous detainee who exhibited hostility, even throwing a cup of tea at a U.S. soldier. However, by 2010, a task force from the Obama administration determined that al-Yazidi did not meet the criteria for prosecution for war crimes and could be released.

A former State Department employee involved in detainee transfers revealed that the long delay in al-Yazidi's repatriation stemmed from concerns regarding Tunisia's safety or the country's lack of interest in accepting him. According to Ian Moss, al-Yazidi's release could have occurred much earlier if not for the complications linked with Tunisian interest.

Many detainees at Guantanamo experienced various forms of torture, which included waterboarding and other inhumane treatments. Although President Barack Obama issued an executive order to close the prison shortly after taking office in 2009, he was unable to fulfill that promise despite reducing the population significantly during his administration.

The Biden administration has continued efforts to decrease the number of detainees at Guantanamo, with only 26 still held there currently. Among those, only two have been convicted by military commissions. Recently, there has been pressure from human rights organizations on the Biden administration to release the remaining prisoners who are held without charge, and they have reportedly facilitated the transfer of three detainees this month, continuing their search for stable countries willing to accept the other detainees.