Refusing to whitewash

Over the weekend, the US announced that it would finally allow officials from the UN Commission on Human Rights to inspect Guantanamo - a mere three years after being asked. But there were strings attached: the officials would not be allowed to privately interview prisoners, making it impossible to properly investigate allegations of torture and abuse. The UN has rejected these conditions on the basis that it would

not only contravene the Terms of Reference for Fact-finding missions by Special Procedures but also undermine the purpose of an objective and fair assessment of the situation of detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay.

In other words, turn the entire thing into a whitewash, and the UN into a PR prop for US abuse. Under these circumstances, the UN was entirely right to refuse.