Over Decade Later, Survivors of Torture at Abu Ghraib Demanding 'Measure of Justice'

[unhappycamper]

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/02/06/over-decade-later-survivors-torture-abu-ghraib-demanding-measure-justice



Four Iraqi men argued in federal district court on Friday that mercenary company CACI should be held accountable for role in their torture

Over Decade Later, Survivors of Torture at Abu Ghraib Demanding 'Measure of Justice'
Sarah Lazare, staff writer
Friday, February 06, 2015

More than a decade later, Iraqi survivors of torture at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison are still fighting for "a measure of justice" in U.S. civil courts.

The four plaintiffs, all of whom were held captive at the prison then released without charges, argued in a federal district court in Virginia on Friday that private mercenary company CACI Premier Technology, Inc. (CACI)—which was operating in the prison—should have to stand trial for its confirmed role in their torture. The hearing was the latest development in a suit, backed by the Center for Constitutional Rights, which was first filed in 2008.

The contractor has argued vigorously that it should not face any liability, despite the fact that military investigators found (pdf) that, in 2004, CACI directly colluded with U.S. soldiers in torture. So far, CACI's efforts to dodge culpability have been successful.

In 2013, a federal judge dismissed the former Abu Ghraib prisoners' lawsuit against CACI on the grounds that, because Abu Ghraib is overseas, it is beyond the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. That ruling, however, was later overturned by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, thereby allowing the lawsuit to proceed.

[cstanleytech]

1. There can be no true justice in this until people like Bush and Cheney are atleast

put on trial before an international court imo.

[yeoman6987]

2. Totally impossible! The only way to do it is in the United States

We are not part of The Hague. Not any International Court. Our Congress is the only way it can be done. And yes it should start today in the United States.

[MasochisticHistorian]

3. Here's the thing, torture is bad

But there literally isn't a thing they could have charged those four Iraqi Men with. Pirates and bandits are given the legal category Hostis humani generis, rough translation, they're pieces of shit to everybody that matters, any body whose hands they fall into may deal justice upon them. Of course, the federal judge's dismissal would have to be dismissed because the argument is stupid. We do have legal jurisdiction to try people and such, for example when we tried Paraguayan officials with torture. The argument that federal judge probably wanted to go with was "They're not American citizens and really should be hostis humani generis." But he couldn't say that cause of American Exceptionalism.