A.I. says its demand is based upon Bush’s "global crimes," including torture.
"In accord with its international obligations, Canada is required to arrest and process the former president, given his responsibility under international law for crimes such as torture," said a spokesperson for the organization today. "Since up to this time U.S. authorities have not brought the president to justice, the international community must act. Canada’s failure to act [by arresting Bush] would violate the United Nation’s Convention against Torture, and demonstrate disrespect for fundamental human rights."
Amnesty International says that it sent a detailed memorandum to the Canadian government on September 21, outlining human rights violations allegedly committed by Bush between 2002 and 2009, when he was in the White House. Many of the details focused on so-called "secret renditions" carried out by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Under rendition procedures then in place, the CIA handed over an unknown number of suspected terrorists to other countries, generally in the Middle East, where they could be tortured or submitted to "extraordinary interrogation techniques" without fear of violating U.S. laws and constitutional guarantees against cruel and unusual punishment.
One of the torture techniques specifically mentioned in A.I.’s submission to the Canadian government is water boarding, which the United States has acknowledged was used in the Guantánamo Bay (Cuba) detention facility, as well as in Afghanistan and Iraq. Most legal experts agree that water boarding constitutes torture under international law. Some U.S. politicians, including former vice president Dick Cheney, have publicly disagreed.
"This is a key moment for Canada to show its commitment to its human rights obligations. Canada has been at the forefront of reforming the system of international justice, and now it must demonstrate that when it comes time to answer for human rights violations, no country and no person is above the mandate of international law," said A.I.
No response yet from the Canadian government, but this is likely to turn into a major headache for Canada and the United States. I know many Canadians read this Blog, so how about leaving your Comments? Should the Mounties get a special cell ready for "W," as his family and many Texans call him? Let us hear from you.
No comments:
Post a Comment