U.N. Human Rights Expert Wins Nod for U.S. Visit 
January 16, 2007
The New York Times
Original Source: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-rights-usa-terrorism.html

GENEVA (Reuters) - A United Nations human rights expert said on Tuesday he had won permission to visit the United States to evaluate U.S. methods of dealing with people on terrorism charges.
Martin Scheinin, the U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, had formally requested a U.S. visit in July and received an invitation in a letter dated December 20.
The Finnish jurist, who reports to the U.N. Human Rights Council, said he hoped to make the trip in late May.
``I intend to examine, in depth, issues regarding the detention, arrest and trial of terrorist suspects and the rights of victims of terrorism or persons negatively impacted by counter-terrorism measures,'' he said in a statement.
Scheinin has previously voiced concerns about Washington's decision to permit tough interrogation techniques and military trials for terrorism suspects, saying the Bush administration's laws set a dangerous international precedent.
He has also called for the closure of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where hundreds of foreign terrorism suspects are being held in conditions some say violate international laws on torture and arbitrary detention.
President Bush has acknowledged the camp -- which has held 770 captives, of whom only 10 been have been charged with crimes -- has hurt the American image abroad but has made no concrete moves to close it. Guantanamo Bay still houses about 395 prisoners suspected of al Qaeda and Taliban links, kept in maximum-security cells.
During his U.S. visit, Scheinin said he aimed to meet government, judicial, security and law enforcement officials, as well as non-governmental groups.