The Guardian
Sarah Left and agencies
Tuesday October 12, 2004
At least 11 al-Qaida suspects have "disappeared" in US custody, and some may have been tortured, according to a report out today from Human Rights Watch.
The prisoners are being held without access to their families, lawyers or even the Red Cross. They are probably being held outside the US, the report said. In some cases, US authorities will not even acknowledge the prisoners are in custody.
Human Rights Watch asserted that international treaties ratified by the US prohibit incommunicado detention of prisoners in secret locations. The Geneva Conventions require that the Red Cross has access to all detainees, after which it can notify families of their whereabouts. Under international human rights law, detainees must be held in recognised places of detention and be able to communicate with lawyers and family members.
The report said the prisoners include the alleged architect of the September 11 attacks, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, captured by Pakistani authorities and extradited to the US last year. He is reported to have been tortured in custody, the group said.
More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1325560,00.html
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