Spanish Judges Target High-Ranking US Officials In Human Rights Investigation

[babylonsister]

Spain's Judges Cross Borders In Rights Cases
High-Ranking U.S. Officials Among Targets of Inquiries

By Craig Whitlock
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, May 24, 2009


MADRID -- Spanish judges are boldly declaring their authority to prosecute high-ranking government officials in the United States, China and Israel, among other places, delighting human rights activists but enraging officials in the countries they target and triggering a political backlash in a nation uncomfortable acting as the world's conscience.

Judges at Spain's National Court, acting on complaints filed by human rights groups, are pursuing 16 international investigations into suspected cases of torture, genocide and crimes against humanity, according to prosecutors. Among them are two probes of Bush administration officials for allegedly approving the use of torture on terrorism suspects, including prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The judges have opened the cases by invoking a legal principle known as universal jurisdiction, which under Spanish law gives them the right to investigate serious human rights crimes anywhere in the world, even if there is no Spanish connection.

International-law advocates have cheered the developments and called the judges heroes for daring to hold the world's superpowers accountable. But the proliferation of investigations has also prompted a backlash in Spain, where legislators and even some law enforcement officials have criticized the powerful judges for overreaching, as well as souring diplomatic relations with allies.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/23/AR2009052301795.html?hpid=topnews

[LakeSamish706]

1. I'm happy their doing this and hope they continue, cause someone has to. n/t

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[pleah]

3. K&R So, the legislators and some law enforcement officials

are whining. To f'n bad. I hope these judges follow through with this action.

[L. Coyote]

4. Reagan's Torture Convention Signing Statement .. = Prosecute Torturers

Reagan's Torture Convention Signing Statement = ratifying the UN Convention on Torture from 1984:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/reagan-on-torture-prosecutions.html

"The United States participated actively and effectively in the negotiation of the Convention . It marks a significant step in the development during this century of international measures against torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment. Ratification of the Convention by the United States will clearly express United States opposition to torture, an abhorrent practice unfortunately still prevalent in the world today.

The core provisions of the Convention establish a regime for international cooperation in the criminal prosecution of torturers relying on so-called 'universal jurisdiction.' Each State Party is required either to prosecute torturers who are found in its territory or to extradite them to other countries for prosecution."

Reagan was adamant about prosecuting torture, but also prosecuting inhuman treatment that some might claim was not full-on torture. ...

[SpiralHawk]

5. "But we were fulfilling profitsy. Smirk." - xCommander AWOL (R - Chickenhawk)

"You know, the profitsy of our occult Republicon Homelander cabal that we could reap massive oil, munitions, and mercenary PROFITS from lying America into a Crusade against - SMIRK - Evildoers. Smirk."

- xCommander AWOL (R - Chickenhawk Profiteer)