Berlin - Amnesty International appealed Monday to Germany and other European nations to provide homes to 50 detainees from the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay.

The men cannot return to their home countries "for fear of torture or other serious human rights violations," the human-rights group said in Berlin.

It said it was making the appeal with four other rights groups in the expectation that the next US president, Barack Obama, would close the detention centre on Cuba.

About 250 people accused of being terrorists are currently held at the camp. Some 80 are expected to face trial by court martial.

Amnesty said the remainder included 50 from nations such as China, Libya, Russia, Tunisia and Uzbekistan.

The human rights groups made their call after a two-day workshop in Berlin.

"Guantanamo cannot be closed until these men have a country which will accept them, and where their lives and liberty are not in jeopardy," the statement said. (dpa)