This week the Open Society Foundation published its report: Globalizing Torture – CIA Secret Detention and Extraordinary Rendition.
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As well as setting out the CIA’s human rights abuses, the report details the 54 countries who assisted and participated in these operations. Sadly, as we know, the UK is one of the 54, along with
Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Zimbabwe
It is a proven fact that our government has facilitated torture and rendition. In order for human rights abuses to stop, our society needs the means to establish what has happened, who is responsible, and to bring them to account. The Justice and Security Bill is an attack on the principles of open justice, a free press and equality of arms. It is specifically designed to prevent exposure of the facts of torture and kidnap. The aim of Part II of the Bill is to stop disclosure of the unpalatable facts of the “War on Terror” being known.
The OSF report makes recommendations to the US government and to the governments of the 54 states involved. The most relevant of these to our campaign are:
3. Disclose information relating to human rights violations associated with
CIA secret detention and extraordinary rendition operations, including but
not limited to the identities of all individuals subjected to secret detention
and extraordinary rendition operations along with available information
on their detention and treatment, current whereabouts, and diplomatic
assurances secured in particular cases.
4. Conduct effective and thorough investigations (including, where
appropriate, criminal investigations) into the full range of human rights
abuses associated with CIA secret detention and extraordinary rendition
operations, with a view to examining and publicly disclosing the role
of, and holding legally accountable, officials who authorized, ordered,
assisted, or otherwise participated in these abuses.
5. Provide appropriate compensation to all individuals subjected to secret
detention and extraordinary rendition operations in which the particular
government participated.
In other words – NO SECRET COURTS!