Guantánamo Observers Program
The Guantánamo Observers Program is a joint program between the Human Rights Institute and the Center on National Security. Since 2014, the Human Rights Institute has partnered with the Center to send law students as official legal observers to the military commissions at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba to attend, observe, analyze, and report on the proceedings to promote transparency.
The opportunity is open to 2Ls, 3Ls, evening students, and LL.M. students. Students who graduate in the Spring semester can still be considered for the summer following graduation. Questions about the program should be sent to humanrightsinstitute@georgetown.edu.
Student legal observers leave from Andrews Air Force Base and stay in Guantánamo Bay Naval Station for one week from Saturday to Saturday. Students must attend from Saturday to Saturday, as there are no other flights to Guantánamo Bay Naval Station.
The flight from Andrews Air Force Base will be provided by the government. Lodging at Guantánamo Bay and international health insurance will be covered by HRI and CNS. Observers will be responsible for travel to Andrews Air Force base (13 miles southeast of Georgetown Law), food, and any other incidentals.
Students may also observe the hearings remotely from Fort Meade, Maryland. Remote observers will also be responsible for arranging their own travel to Fort Meade, Maryland.
Student legal observers are expected to attend all hearings available to them while on base. The number of hearings and the hearing schedule are dependent on the individual proceedings. Observers will be instructed to take notes and report their findings. No laptops or cell phones are allowed in the observers' viewing room.
Ongoing hearings in 2026–2027 include those for Abd al-Rahim Hussein Muhammed Abdu al-Nashiri, Encep Nurjaman, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
The opportunity is open to 2Ls, 3Ls, evening students, and LL.M. students. Students who graduate in the Spring semester can still be considered for the summer following graduation. Interested students must apply to join the application pool that opens each year by September. Applicants will be asked to submit a resume, cover letter expressing their interest in the program, and an unofficial transcript from Georgetown Law.
The schedule for hearings is set by the Office of Military Commissions (OMC). HRI and CNS will contact applicants after the schedule is released to determine which student can attend which hearing. Georgetown can only nominate students, as OMC makes the final decision on who attends the hearings. Even if a student is nominated by Georgetown and selected by OMC, they should be aware that hearings may be cancelled and we will notify students in that instance.
If a student is selected, they will be required to submit a background check to OMC. Non-US citizens and dual citizens will be asked to submit additional paperwork on top of the regular background check.
Having completed an observation, students will be expected to write a publishable opinion piece about their experience to share on the Human Rights Institute website. They will also be asked to be a panelist at an end-of-year event at Georgetown Law.