Bush visit to Switzerland cancelled over security fears??

From: Vince Warren, CCR [mailto:alerts@ccrjustice.org]

Monday, February 07, 2011 11:48 AM

 

February 7, 2011

 

CCR Announces Bush Indictment for Convention Against Torture Signatory States

 

Today, on the ninth anniversary of the day former president George W. Bush decided the Geneva Conventions did not apply to the conflict with al Qaeda or to so-called “unlawful combatants,” CCR is releasing a Bush Torture Indictment. The Indictment provides a strong factual and legal basis to hold Bush accountable— in any of the 147 countries which have ratified the Convention Against Torture (CAT)—for having authorized torture. We compiled more than 2,500 pages of supporting material, and CCR obtained the support of two Nobel Peace Prize winners, more than 60 NGOs, and two former UN Special Rapporteurs on Torture and on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers in its call for the prosecution of Bush.

 

The Bush Torture Indictment is based on two criminal complaints that were to be filed today in Switzerland on behalf of two torture victims, with the support of CCR and allied groups, in advance of Bush’s planned trip to Geneva on February 12 to speak at a charity gala. Swiss authorities are under a legal obligation to start a preliminary investigation if the torturer is on Swiss soil.

 

In a victory for our efforts to make sure torturers know they are not above the law, and that there are no safe havens, Bush canceled his trip to Switzerland rather than face the possibility of prosecution for torture. We will make sure the Bush Torture Indictment is waiting for him wherever he travels next.

 

Watch Bush admit he authorized torture and say he would do it again in this televised interview on NBC.

 

Learn more about the Bush Torture Indictment by visiting CCR's case page. Also learn about our other efforts in Germany, France, and Spain to hold U.S. officials accountable around the world for torture by visiting CCR's page on accountability. The U.S. government has so far failed to comply with its obligations to investigate and prosecute torture, but together we can ensure torturers are held accountable.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bush-visit-to-switzerland-cancelled-over-security-fears-2205882.html

Bush visit to Switzerland cancelled over security fears

By Frank Jordans in Geneva

Sunday, 6 February 2011

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A visit to Switzerland by the former US president George W Bush planned for this week has been cancelled due to security concerns after left-wing groups called for mass protests and rights activists proposed legal action against him for allegedly ordering the torture of terrorism suspects.

Mr Bush's spokesman, David Sherzer, said the former president was informed by the United Israel Appeal that his speech on Saturday in Geneva had been called off. Yesterday's edition of the Swiss daily Tribune de Genève quoted the Jewish charity's lawyer, Robert Equey, as saying: "The calls to demonstrate were sliding into dangerous terrain. The organisers claimed to be able to maintain order, but warned they could not be held responsible for any outbursts."

Protest organisers had called for participants to each bring a shoe to the rally outside the lakeside Hotel Wilson – named after another US president, Woodrow Wilson – where the dinner was to be held. The shoes were to recall the time an Iraqi journalist threw his own footwear at Mr Bush during a news conference in Baghdad in 2008.

Mr Equey told the Tribune that attempts by human-rights groups to submit legal complaints against Mr Bush to Swiss prosecutors had not played a part in the decision to cancel the visit.

Human rights groups including Amnesty International and the Center for Constitutional Rights had planned to ask Swiss prosecutors to open a criminal investigation against Mr Bush over the admission that he authorised the waterboarding of terrorism suspects.

"Whatever Bush or his hosts say, we have no doubt he cancelled his trip to avoid our case," the Center for Constitutional Rights, and others, said in a statement.

©independent.co.uk

 

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