French judge seeks access to Guantanamo over torture claims

[dipsydoodle]

A French judge has requested access to the US-run prison at Guantanamo Bay to investigate claims by three French citizens that they were tortured during their detention there.

Judge Sophie Clement wants permission from US authorities to inspect and copy all documents relating to the three men and to interview all persons who had contact with them there, according to legal documents seen by AFP.

The judge requested access to "all documents relating to the justification and modalities of (US) armed operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan and to the treatment of persons arrested during these operations," the documents said.

The three Frenchmen who made the accusations -- Mourad Benchellali, Nizar Sassi et Khaled Ben Mustapha -- were arrested in late 2001 on the Afghan-Pakistani border and sent to Guantanamo.

http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/french-judge-seeks-access-to-guantanamo-over-torture-claims_201668.html

Yahoo / AP link here :

PARIS (AP) — A French judge is seeking U.S. permission to visit the Guantanamo prison camp to investigate claims by former French inmates that they were tortured.

Investigating judge Sophie Clement says in a formal international request to U.S. officials that she wants to see the prison and copies of all documents relating to the arrest and transfer of three Frenchmen held there. The Associated Press viewed the request Tuesday.

The three men are Nizar Sassi, Mourad Benchellali and Khaled Ben Mustapha. They were arrested on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in late 2001 and transferred to Guantanamo. They were sent back to France in 2004 and 2005 and later released.

The men told the judge during questioning in France that they were subject to violence including torture and rape during their detention.

http://news.yahoo.com/french-judge-wants-investigate-guantanamo-114823754.html

France24 are also discussing Obama's failure to keep his 2009 election promise of closing Guantanamo within a year.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. Somehow I do not see the Obama administration agreeing to the request

[lunatica]

2. It'll be very interesting to see how this plays out over the years

I'm glad there are courts and judges in the world who are willing to hold all countries accountable.