Friday, February 19, 2016
Former Guantánamo Chief Summoned
by French Court Over Torture Allegations
General Geoffrey Miller presided over the U.S. military prison
in Cuba from 2002 to 2004, after then-President George Bush approved of
'enhanced interrogation' techniques including waterboarding
General Geoffrey Miller earned the nickname 'King of Guantanamo'
for introducing waterboarding to the U.S. military prison in Cuba. (Photo: AFP)
A French judge has summoned the former chief of
Guantánamo Bay, retired U.S. General Geoffrey Miller, to appear in court on
March 1 to face allegations of torture against detainees.
Miller presided over the U.S. military prison in Cuba from 2002
to 2004, shortly after then-President George W. Bush approved the use of
so-called "enhanced interrogation" tactics, including waterboarding,
hooding, stress positions, sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, removal of
clothing, and exposure to extreme heat or cold.
Former prisoners of the camp for years have urged international courts to subpoena
Miller over his role in the torture and mistreatment of detainees during his
time as Guantánamo commander.
The investigation against Miller began after two French
citizens, Nizar Sassi and Mourad Benchellali, who were detained at Guantánamo
from 2001 to 2004 and 2005 respectively, lodged a criminal complaint against
Miller in a French court. The Paris Court of Appeals approved their request last April.
William Bourdon, an attorney who represents some of the
detainees in the case, told France 24 on Thursday that it was
unlikely Miller would show up because "top U.S. civilian and military
officials refuse to be held to account by [foreign] judges."
Still, U.S. and international legal advocacy groups praised the judge's decision. The New
York-based Center for Constitutional Rights and the Berlin-based European
Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, which have submitted expert reports (pdf) in the proceedings,
said Friday that "Miller played a key role in the implementation of the
U.S. torture program at Guantánamo prison. It is time he answers for it."
"We commend the French justice system for pursuing its
investigation into torture at Guantánamo despite the unwillingness of both Bush
and Obama administrations' to cooperate with the investigation," the
groups said. "We urge the U.S. to make Miller available for questioning
and let this judicial process run its course."
"The French nationals who endured torture at Guantánamo
under Miller’s command, and have persisted with this case, deserve their day in
court," the groups continued. "As long as the U.S. remains unwilling
to fully investigate its torture program and prosecute its architects and
senior implementers, justice will be pursued in courts and countries, like
France, where it can be found."
Sassi and Benchellali said they were arbitrarily arrested in
Pakistan in alleged connection with the September 11 attacks and sent to
Guantánamo, where they say they were tortured.
In an interview with France 24 in April,
Benchellali said he wanted "redress" for what he endured, stating,
"I've been mistreated. I want those responsible to be called to
account."
Miller has also been accused of encouraging abuse of detainees
at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where the general presided for several months
between 2003 and 2004. In September 2003, he submitted a report to the U.S.
Department of Defense suggesting that prison guards use abusive tactics to "soften
up" prisoners for interrogation.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share
Alike 3.0 License
Donations can be sent
to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD
21218. Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/
"The master class
has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles.
The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject
class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives."
Eugene Victor Debs
No comments:
Post a Comment