Apparently, the former U.S. Secretary of Defense is being investigated for torture by French authorities.
By law, they're obligated to investigate anyone on French soil for whom there's a credible suspicion of involvement in torture (at least that's my understanding - could be off).
From that second link:
French courts therefore have an obligation under the Convention against Torture to prosecute individuals responsible for acts of torture if they are present on French territory. This will be the only case filed while he is in the country, which makes the obligations to investigate and prosecute under international law extremely strong.
Rumsfeld’s presence on French territory gives French courts jurisdiction to prosecute him for having ordered and authorized torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees in Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and elsewhere.
In addition, having resigned from his position of U.S. Secretary of Defense a year ago, Rumsfeld can no longer try to claim immunity as a head of state or government official.
One very interesting thing: General Janis Karpinski has submitted written testimony for the plaintiff in this case.
That is, she's testifying for the prosecution.
Her statement is in a pdf here. |
