Many follow U.S. example on detainees (AP)

[Eugene]

Monday, October 23, 2006 · Last updated 5:37 p.m. PT

Many follow U.S. example on detainees

By NICK WADHAMS
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

UNITED NATIONS -- Several governments around the world have tried to rebut
criticism of how they handle detainees by claiming they are only following
the U.S. example in the war on terror, the U.N. anti-torture chief said
Monday.

Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special investigator on torture, said that when he
criticizes governments for their questionable treatment of detainees,
they respond by telling him that that if the United States does something,
it must be all right. He would not name any countries except for Jordan.

"The United States has been the pioneer, if you wish, of human rights and
is a country that has a high reputation in the world," Nowak told a news
conference. "Today, many other governments are kind of saying, 'But why
are you criticizing us, we are not doing something different than what the
United States is doing.'"

Nowak said that because of its prominence, the United States has a greater
responsibility to uphold international standards for its prisoners so other
nations do not use it as an excuse to justify their own behavior.

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Full article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_UN_Torture.html