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PDF Dossier: the US Torture Program – Approved at the Hightest Levels DOSSIER THE US TORTURE PROGRAM – APPROVED AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Note from Manfred Nowak, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture .................... 2 2 The “architects” of the US torture program: Criminal complaints in Europe ............... 2 3 “Bush Six:” Investigations in Spain ..................................................................................... 3 4 Guantánamo: Investigations in France ............................................................................... 4 5 The El Masri case .................................................................................................................. 4 6 The case of Maher Arar ........................................................................................................ 5 7 Guantánamo: Complaint in Belgium .................................................................................. 5 8 CIA torture: Why Germany should investigate Gina Haspel and others ........................ 6 9 Next steps ............................................................................................................................... 7 10 Glossary ................................................................................................................................ 8 11 Publications (selection) ....................................................................................................... 9 Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. Over the 1 INTRODUCTION following years, in the name of “counter- Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram, terrorism,” the US government subjected European blacksites, waterboarding, sleep detainees to various forms of torture and deprivation and electric shocks: these are abuse by CIA and US military officials. all parts of the system of US torture Many other countries condoned or quietly introduced in the months and years after 11 tolerated this system. September 2001. The US torture program, initiated under Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of then President George W. Bush and Human Rights states that no one shall be members of his administration, violates subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or international and human rights law. No one degrading treatment. This principle is also has been held criminally liable for these reflected in international law – e.g. in the policies. ECCHR is taking legal action to UN Convention against Torture (CAT) – seek justice for survivors, and act as a and in domestic laws in many states. Yet deterrent, thus helping prevent torture in people are tortured all over the world. This the future. occurs not only in dictatorships and repressive regimes, but also in partially ECCHR has worked together with former democratic states and in democracies like Guantánamo detainees, the Center for the United States. Constitutional Rights (CCR) in New York, and partner lawyers from Europe (Gonzalo In response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the Boye, William Bourdon, Apolline Cagnat, CIA and US military – with approval at the Walter van Steenbrugge and Christophe highest levels – kidnapped, unlawfully Marchand) since 2004. The legal work detained and tortured hundreds of people. focus mainly on the system’s “architects” – high-ranking politicians, officials, On 11 January 2002, the first detainees intelligence agents and military personnel. were brought to the US military base at ECCHR is financed solely through the support of foundations and donations in order to remain financially and politically independent. If you value the work we do, please support us: ecchr.eu/en/donate 1 1.1 NOTE FROM MANFRED NOWAK, FORMER UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE In their so-called “war on terror” the US government under George W. Bush violated binding international law standards – international humanitarian law, human rights and the international rule of law – in a manner that was unprecedented for a democratic state that purports to uphold the rule of law. Individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism were arbitrarily detained, interned and tortured over several years at CIA secret prisons and military prisons like Guantánamo Bay, and transported around the globe by means of secret rendition flights in inhumane and degrading conditions. Prisons were specially set up outside US territory in an effort to evade guarantees for prisoners in the US constitution and under international law. Using the fiction of the “war on terror”, the Bush administration tried to convince the rest of the world that in the fight against terrorism, criminal law standards and fundamental human rights standards do not apply, that only the exceptional provisions of international humanitarian law apply. By creating a new category of “illegal enemy combatants”, the Bush administration sought to get around even those bare minimum standards under humanitarian law, leaving them free to see terrorism suspects as being beyond any legal protection. Finally, they tried to sidestep the absolute prohibition on torture through adventurous “legal memos” and unlawful considerations of national security interests on the basis of the “ticking time bomb” scenario. This text was first published in German in Folter und die Verwertung von Informationen bei der Terrorismusbekämpfung (Torture and the Use of Information in Countering Terrorism), published by ECCHR in 2011. 2 THE “ARCHITECTS” OF THE US former CIA Director George Tenet, and a TORTURE PROGRAM: CRIMINAL number of high-ranking military personnel, COMPLAINTS IN EUROPE among others, in relation to breaches of the In November 2004, ECCHR founder UN Convention against Torture and the General Secretary Wolfgang Kaleck filed a German Code of Crimes against criminal complaint in Germany on behalf International Law. of four Iraqi survivors and the Center for The crimes alleged were: war crimes, Constitutional Rights concerning the US torture, and other crimes committed in the torture program. US military detention facilities at The complaint was directed against former Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib. The Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, complaints were based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which is enshrined 2 in German law. Under this principle, it is The Convention against Torture obliges possible to pursue legal action in national member states to investigate suspected courts in cases of so called “core crimes,” instances of torture, even if allegations such as war crimes or crimes against relate to former presidents or members of humanity, even if the criminal acts in the government, secret services, the army question took place in another country. or police forces. Further legal interventions directed against The comprehensive complaints were the “architects” of US torture followed in supported by more than 50 organizations Germany (2006) and France (2007). In from around the world, as well as by Nobel every case, however, the relevant court Peace Prize winners Shirin Ebadi and authorities refused to initiate investigations Pérez Esquivel, and former UN Special and rejected appeals of these decisions. Rapporteurs Theo van Boven and Leandro Despouy. ECCHR submitted a criminal complaint in 2011 in Geneva against George W. Bush Following the announcement of the himself. The complaint accuses Bush of a criminal complaint, George W. Bush number of crimes, including violations of cancelled a planned trip to Geneva. the UN Convention against Torture. The possibility of immunity for former heads of state does not apply in the case of torture. 3 “BUSH SIX:” INVESTIGATIONS IN York, and represents the German citizen SPAIN Murat Kurnaz who was detained – and tortured – in Guantánamo between January In March 2009, a criminal complaint was 2002 and August 2006. filed in Spain against six former US officials concerning their responsibility for When these proceedings were due to be violations of international law, including closed in 2015 after a change in universal war crimes and torture. The six US jurisdiction laws in Spain, ECCHR and officials became known as the “Bush Six.” CCR submitted a constitutional complaint The Bush Six are accused of having aided to challenge the decision. and abetted crimes of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and grave The complaint was rejected in April 2019. breaches of the Geneva Conventions of In the decision, which is final, the court 1949. The crimes in question were ignored evidence that indicated the committed at US detention facilities in involvement of Spanish suspects. With this Guantánamo and other locations. The decision, Spain missed its opportunity to investigation was later extended to include take a leading role in the fight against US the system in Guantánamo as a whole. torture. ECCHR initiated the proceedings with partner lawyers from Madrid and New 3 Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris) 4 GUANTÁNAMO: INVESTIGATIONS IN also question William “Jim” Haynes on his FRANCE role in the torture. Haynes was General For nearly three years, French citizens Counsel (chief legal advisor) in the US Mourad Benchellali and Nizar Sassi were Department of Defense from 2001-2008 detained and tortured at Guantánamo. and worked closely with former Secretary Since 2002, Benchellali and Sassi, together of Defense Donald Rumsfeld between with their families and ECCHR partner 2001 and 2006. lawyers, have been fighting to ensure those responsible are held accountable. The In a 26-page dossier submitted to the French judiciary has
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