It's time to bone up on the Geneva Convention

and the Nurenburg Principles.

The prisoners at Abu Grhaib are either POW's or Interned Civilians. The Geneva Convention is very clear about how the occupying power is supposed to treat the people that they have invaded. In 3 short years, George W. Bush has joined the ranks of the worst of the worst leaders in human history. It is time for, we the people, to demand that Bush and his cabal resign in disgrace and face trial for their multiple crimes against humanity.


Principles of the
Nuremberg Tribunal, 1950>


REFERENCE GUIDE TO THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS

Here's a few snips from the GC:


internment

If an occupying power considers it necessary for imperative reasons of security, it may restrict civilians to assigned residents or to internment. Due process must be followed and internees must have the right of appeal. In addition, cases must be reviewed regularly, every six months if possible. (Convention IV, Art. 78)

If the internee is no longer able to work, then the occupying power must provide employment opportunities comparable to those of other civilians or otherwise ensure the internee?s support. (Convention IV, Art. 39)

In addition, internees must be allowed to receive allowances from their home countries, from the protecting power, or from relief societies. (Convention IV, Art. 39)

See also humane treatment of internees; internees, punishment of.

interrogation of civilians

Civilians in an occupied territory must not be subject to physical or moral coercion for the purposes of obtaining information from them or from third parties. (Convention IV, Art. 31)

interrogation of prisoners of war

Prisoners of war are only obligated to provide names, ranks, date of birth, army, personal or serial identification numbers or equivalent information. Failure to do so may result in loss of special privileges. (Convention III, Art. 17)

No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion may be inflicted. Prisoners who refuse to answer questions may not be threatened, insulted or exposed to unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind. (Convention III, Art. 17)

Prisoners of war must be questioned in a language they can understand. (Convention III, Art. 17)

How do you expect Bush to

Neither document existed yet, when he was in power. As a matter of fact, they were written in order to prevent another Hitler. It's time to use the tools that are available and bring these criminals to justice.

my Dad was captured by Hitler's Panzers right before the Bulge. He was a P.O.W. for 10 months. He was shocked and disgusted at what he saw in the 60 Minutes photos. He said they were always treated as soldiers. It wasn't nice, they were cold and hungry, but they were never degraded. I know others had different experiences, but that was his. It was very sad to watch that show and know our guys were behaving worse than Nazis.

The Third Geneva Convention (1949) on the treatment of Prisoners of War (also applies to others detained in combat). This is relevant to both Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.

The Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) concerns the treatment of civilians and the obligations of an occupying force. It prohibits the sale of the occupied country's national assets, which is exactly what Bremer is getting the quislings in the IGC to approve.

The Convention against Torture (1984), which is definitely relevant to the case out of Abu Ghraib and other matters arising out of the war on terror, possibly including Guantanamo.

The Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court (1999). This one is really anathema to the Bushies and other neocons. It establishes a permanent court to try cases of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Hopefully, we can see Bush, Cheney, Rummie, Wolfowitz, Powell, Condi and several others prosecuted before it someday soon.

and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) plans to do about this 'problem'?

http://www.unhchr.ch/


Kofi Annan made a wimpy statement the other day. It was disappointing to say the least.

Annan 'deeply disturbed' by media images of Iraqi prisoners being mistreated


30 April 2004 ? United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is "deeply disturbed" by images appearing in the media of Iraqi prisoners being mistreated and humiliated by United States prison guards, his spokesman said today.

The Secretary-General "hopes that this was an isolated incident and welcomes what appears to be a clear determination on the part of the US military to bring those responsible to justice, and to prevent such abuses in the future," spokesman Fred Eckhard said.


Someone needs to sell Kofi a clue. We're past deeply disturbed and it's not an isolated incident, no matter how many stars you wish upon.


BTW: Thanks for excerpts. Picking out some of the plums from the GC, I think will help people when they go up against folks who want to try to justify this crap.

and I can't believe no one is pursuing that. He was at Abu Ghraib on July 20, 2003. We have photos of him touring the prison with Brig. Gen. Karpinski. We have a documentation that Amnesty International was very concerned about the torture at the prison. He knew that. He was there when it was happening. Why isn't he being proscecuted? I hope there some journalist with the smallest of gonads left in this country will at least attempt to follow this story.

Last September.

Also, this is the same prison that an inmate was killed around that time. And the Palestinian cameraman Mazen Dana was killed filming in front of the prison last August.