On the heels of one of the most historic Presidential Inaugurations in United States history, President Obama declares that the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay will be closed by the end of the year. The implications of this act resonate with the international community at large and not least with those committed to the proliferation of Human Rights agendas. In taking such a step forward, President Obama and his administration demonstrate that policies of torture and injustice will not be tolerated in the years to come. 

This month's interview was with Henry Porter of Guardian Journalist and Co-Director, Convention on Modern Liberty.

The biggest threat to our rights and liberties at the moment is the transfer of power from the individual to the centre (the state). This is done in largely one way, which is the state’s ability to monitor the individual’s movements, communications and every important transaction in his or her life without allowing the individual access to that data.

This issue's featured news items:

• Chad: Teacher feared abducted by security forces (27th January 2009)

• Thais ‘leave boat people to die’ (27th January 2009)

This issue's featured cases:

• Czarnowski v Poland (9th February 2009)

• Tatar v Romania (7th February 2009)

• Austin v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (7th February 2009)

• Iribarren Pinillos v Spain (15th January 2009)