TEHRAN -- The U.S. inhuman treatment of prisoners at its military base on Guantanamo Bay has drawn wide criticisms from individuals and human rights organizations throughout the world. The following is the text of an interview with Francis Boyle, a professor of international law at the University of Illinois in the United States, in which he talks about the bad conditions and ill treatment of prisoners at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba.

Q: As you know the attention of peace activists and human rights groups is focused on Guantanamo these days, where Taleban fighters are being kept in detention. What are conditions like for them?

A: It is really sad and awful. They are treated like animals. The U.S. soldiers keep them like dogs in doghouses in cages with metal roofs and concrete floors. They use a kind of veil on them which covers their head and faces and they keep the prisoners in chains and shackles. Last Thursday morning CNN showed a detainee who was forced to shave his beard. I don't think there is any medicine. Therefore, the way the Americans are treating prisoners at Guantanomo is disgraceful and in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention and other international conventions. Amnesty International, UN observers, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson and the majority of countries and organizations have condemned the way these prisoners at Guantanamo are treated.

I think anyone who has heard these news reports should request that the Iranian government undertake a diplomatic course of action and send a strong protest to the U.S. government according to Article One of the 1949 Geneva Convention. This article requires all signatories to observe all the conditions mentioned in the treaty in every situation. In my opinion, protest rallies and meetings should be held in every Muslim country against this ill treatment.

Q: You spoke about the reactions of Amnesty International, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson and others to the mistreatment of prisoners at Guantanamo, but what is the reaction of the general public in the United States about all this?

A: I am sorry to say that because of strict control of the media by the U.S. government, it seems that public opinion has accepted this ill treatment and is not showing any sort of reaction. Thus, criticism about violations of human rights is coming from other countries and human rights organizations, putting pressure on the U.S. government to abandon such atrocious behavior. But we need more protests and far greater actions because the American people are under the influence of the U.S. administration and media.

Q: How does this conduct violate the 1948 Convention Against Torture and Cruel, Inhumane, and Degrading Treatment, the Geneva Conventions, and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966?

A: Amnesty International has called the treatment of these captives inhumane and condemned it since they are violating the terms of the 1948 Convention, which the United States signed. From the moment of their capture in Afghanistan to their transfer to Guantanamo and detention, the Americans acted contrary to and violated the Geneva Conventions. According to the Geneva Conventions, all prisoners of war should receive the same treatment. These people should be treated as if they were U.S. soldiers in captivity, and this is not what is happening at the moment. The Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966 also condemns this. International conventions forbid any inhumane treatment and torture of prisoners, and the blindfolding of detainees during interrogation or transfer to other places is prohibited.

Unfortunately, I have to say that a report in the ****Wall Street Journal*** on Friday revealed the fact that most of the detainees who arrived in Guantanamo were suffering from dehydration and were in desperate need of medical attention. I don't think there are adequate medical facilities available at Guantanamo to treat them.

The authorities have started interrogating the prisoners, which is against the Geneva Convention, which only allows them to ask their personal particulars. Also, the shaving of detainees' heads and beards is against their interpretation of their religion and traditions. Forcing prisoners to use soporific drugs without any medical reason is against UN medical ethics. Article Five of the UN Medical Principles prohibits giving soporific drugs to detained persons. Hence, the Islamic Republic of Iran can ask the OIC and the UN Security Council to organize an emergency meeting, since this sort of behavior is a real threat to world peace and the Geneva Conventions.

Q: Why is the U.S. government insisting on calling these captives "unlawful combatants" and refusing to classify them as prisoners of war?

A: This is a result of the uncompromising and vengeful policies of the United States, which is trying to manipulate American public opinion. The slanderous propaganda of the U.S. government is focused on Arabs and Muslims. This is a continuation of their prejudiced policies. The United States should recognize these people as prisoners of war and treat them accordingly.

Q: The United States has decided to try these suspects in a newly established military tribunal instead of prosecuting them in Federal or state courts of justice. What is the reason for this and what is the difference?

A: There are three different courts in the United States that deal with this type of case. Federal courts, conventional military courts which function under uniform army regulations, and the new military commissions, in which the United States intends to hold these trials. These new commissions are the kind of courts that ignore people's rights and do not observe regular and lawful court proceedings.

The reason why these prisoners' trials are not being held in Federal or military courts is that in those courts, military personnel or ordinary citizens are well protected and normal judicial proceedings are observed. In such courts evidence must be solid and proven for conviction and the captive has the same rights as U.S. army personnel. The only question that is on our mind is, will these people be killed or not? President Bush has a terrible record. As governor, he executed over 130 people in the state of Texas.

Q: Would you explain why these people are being detained in Guantanamo in Cuba and why the United States has not chosen another place for their detention?

A: The reason is that Guantanamo is a U.S. colony. Therefore, neither Cuba nor Federal courts of the United States can interfere in this case, since it is not in their jurisdiction. A lawyer can not even go to a Federal court and demand that Guantanamo authorities observe U.S. laws or other international conventions.

If these prisoners were kept anywhere in mainland U.S.A, the lawyers could go to courts and object to their illegal detention and protect their basic rights. But since they are being detained in Guantanamo, it is a very, very difficult task.