Yesterday, Amnesty International released a new report on the human rights situation related to detentions and torture in Iraq. Titled "New Order, Same Abuses: Unlawful Detentions and Torture in Iraq", the report looks at "thousands of arbitrary detentions, sometimes for several years without charge or trial, severe beatings of detainees, often in secret prisons, to obtain forced confessions, and enforced disappearances."
"Iraq's security forces have been responsible for systematically violating detainees' rights and they have been permitted to do so with impunity," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's Director for the Middle East and North Africa. "Yet, the US authorities, whose own record on detainees' rights has been so poor, have now handed over thousands of people detained by US forces to face this catalogue of illegality, violence and abuse, abdicating any responsibility for their human rights."
In addition to documenting specific and general findings on human rights abuses in detention in Iraq, the report contains several recommendations for the Iraqi authority, the U.S. government, and all governments of the world "to counter the impunity and to help protect human rights in Iraq."
The recommendations include ensuring that "all torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, and other crimes involving human rights violations are ended immediately. Such crimes must be investigated promptly, independently, impartially, and thoroughly, and all suspected perpetrators, including those with command responsibility, must be prosecuted in proceedings that meet international standards of fairness. Victims must be ensured reparations in accordance with international standards."
However, given the U.S. and Iraqi governments' track records so far, I will not hold my breath.
Read the full report (PDF).
No comments:
Post a Comment