Hopefully, they can’t get away with it
Promising news for those of you that hope to see some actual laws being applied to those that authorized torture of prisoners: h/t crooksandliars
Top UN Torture Investigator: Decision Not to Prosecute Violates International Law
By Susie Madrak Saturday Apr 18, 2009 11:00am
Is there any other legitimate legal position to take on this? I’d be curious to hear the arguments:
VIENNA (AP) — An Austrian newspaper quotes the U.N.’s top torture investigator as saying President Barack Obama’s decision not to prosecute CIA operatives who used questionable interrogation practices violates international law.
Manfred Nowak is quoted in Der Standard as saying the United States has committed itself under the U.N. Convention against Torture to make torture a crime and to prosecute those suspected of engaging in it.
Obama assured CIA operatives on Thursday they would not be prosecuted for their rough interrogation tactics of terror suspects under the former Bush administration.
Nowak also says in the newspaper interview published Saturday that a comprehensive independent investigation is needed, and that it is important to compensate victims.
Check out this story by emptywheel. KSM was tortured 183 times in one month, more than the bogus guidlines the Yoo/Bybee/Bradbury memos gave. It’s no wonder that the CIA destroyed those interrogation tapes.
Ah, right, the UN………
As an aside anyone want to remind me how Barry is doing on the torture issue?
Not that I’m a fan of the “I’m just following orders” defense, but shouldn’t any prosecution be focused on the leaders who ordered, defended, and promulgated the practice of torture? Just a thought….