U.N. Demands Prosecution For U.S. Officials, CIA Agents Who Planned Torture

[babylonsister]

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/12/un-demands-prosecutions-us-officials-cia

U.N. Demands Prosecution For U.S. Officials, CIA Agents Who Planned Torture
By Susie Madrak
December 11, 2014 9:29 am


Well, yeah. If the law means anything at all (of course, these days, you wonder), they should be prosecuted. But our laws are so very flexible these days for the rich and powerful, they're more like suggestions:

All senior U.S. officials and CIA agents who authorized or carried out torture like waterboarding as part of former President George W. Bush's national security policy must be prosecuted, top U.N. officials said Wednesday.

It's not clear, however, how human rights officials think these prosecutions will take place, since the Justice Department has declined to prosecute and the U.S. is not a member of the International Criminal Court.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said it's "crystal clear" under international law that the United States, which ratified the U.N. Convention Against Torture in 1994, now has an obligation to ensure accountability.

"In all countries, if someone commits murder, they are prosecuted and jailed. If they commit rape or armed robbery, they are prosecuted and jailed. If they order, enable or commit torture ? recognized as a serious international crime ? they cannot simply be granted impunity because of political expediency," he said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hopes the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA's harsh interrogation techniques at secret overseas facilities is the "start of a process" toward prosecutions, because the "prohibition against torture is absolute," Ban's spokesman said.

Ben Emmerson, the U.N.'s special rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights, said the report released Tuesday shows "there was a clear policy orchestrated at a high level within the Bush administration, which allowed (it) to commit systematic crimes and gross violations of international human rights law."

He said international law prohibits granting immunity to public officials who allow the use of torture, and this applies not just to the actual perpetrators but also to those who plan and authorize torture.

UPDATE: Probable Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley calls for a special prosecutor on torture.

[Bluenorthwest]

1. Hey Martin O'Malley sounds like a person with ethics, and I bet he was not a Reagan/Bush Republican

ever, at all, in any way, for any reason. I know in 82 he worked for Gary Hart, not Ronald Reagan. These days, that's great stuff!!!!
Also it took about 5 seconds to find out that he has been proactively favorable to equal rights. Put that man on my list, please.

[babylonsister]

2. I like him, too. He needs more exposure. nt

[Cali_Democrat]

4. O'Malley 2016

I can dig that...much better than Warren or Hillary.

[Cali_Democrat]

3. Holder should indeed appoint a special prosecutor

Good idea from O'Malley.

[okaawhatever]

5. The title is misleading. The UN hasn't "demanded" anything. SOME UN officials have said we have

an obligation to prosecute, and Ban Ki-moon "hopes" the report is the "start of a process" toward prosecutions.....

Very misleading, I don't care how sympathetic you are to the idea