United States: Supreme Court refuses to hear challenge on deportation of detainee to Libya

On 30 April, the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by Abu Abdul Rauf Zalita against his deportation from Guantánamo Bay to Libya. Mr Zalita claims he is at risk of torture if returned to Libya. The US Government stated in this case that, under the Military Commissions Act, US courts have no jurisdiction to consider issues related to transfers of detainees from Guantánamo. In a separate statement, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs said that judicial review of detainees’ transfers could negatively affect the United States ability to succeed in the “war on terrorism”.