Nov 18, 2019, 12:46 pm
(This post was last modified: Nov 18, 2019, 17:58 pm by Resurgence. Edited 2 times in total.)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has stated that it could investigate the British army over allegations of war crimes.
Late last week, a probe by the BBC's Panorama program and the Sunday Times quoted 11 British detectives as saying that they found “credible evidence” of the government and the armed forces of the UK involved in covering up torture and the illegal killing of civilians by British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Leaked documents allegedly contain evidence implicating British troops in killing children and torturing civilians.
The cases include that of Baha Mousa, a hotel worker in the south-eastern Iraqi city of Basra who died after British troops tortured and beat him in 2003. This was followed by a public probe and the only conviction of a UK serviceman for war crimes in Iraq.
There was evidence found of murders as well as deaths in custody, beatings, torture and sexual abuse of detainees by members of the Black Watch.
The 11 detectives of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), which investigated the alleged war crimes, said that they found evidence of widespread abuse at a British army base in Basra three months before Mousa was killed.
The ICC said it has taken the accusations “very seriously.” The ICC said it would independently assess the findings and would begin a landmark case if it believed the government was shielding soldiers from prosecution,” the corporation reported on Monday morning.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) insisted that its military operations were carried out in full compliance with the law.
Balkees Jarrah, senior counsel at Human Rights Watch, said:
A senior SAS commander was referred to prosecutors for attempting to pervert the course of justice, the investigation claims.
Rachel Logan, Amnesty International UK’s legal program director, said:
https://news.yahoo.com/war-crimes-court-...01993.html
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201911181...ghanistan/
Late last week, a probe by the BBC's Panorama program and the Sunday Times quoted 11 British detectives as saying that they found “credible evidence” of the government and the armed forces of the UK involved in covering up torture and the illegal killing of civilians by British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Leaked documents allegedly contain evidence implicating British troops in killing children and torturing civilians.
The cases include that of Baha Mousa, a hotel worker in the south-eastern Iraqi city of Basra who died after British troops tortured and beat him in 2003. This was followed by a public probe and the only conviction of a UK serviceman for war crimes in Iraq.
There was evidence found of murders as well as deaths in custody, beatings, torture and sexual abuse of detainees by members of the Black Watch.
The 11 detectives of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), which investigated the alleged war crimes, said that they found evidence of widespread abuse at a British army base in Basra three months before Mousa was killed.
The ICC said it has taken the accusations “very seriously.” The ICC said it would independently assess the findings and would begin a landmark case if it believed the government was shielding soldiers from prosecution,” the corporation reported on Monday morning.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) insisted that its military operations were carried out in full compliance with the law.
Quote:“Investigations and decisions to prosecute are rightly independent from the MoD and have involved external oversight and legal advice,” a MoD spokesperson told the BBC, noting that “after careful consideration of referred cases, the independent Service Prosecuting Authority decided not to prosecute.”
Balkees Jarrah, senior counsel at Human Rights Watch, said:
Quote:“Over the years, information has emerged indicating widespread, serious abuses of Iraqis in British detention, including assaults, torture and deaths. At the end of the day, the war crimes allegations stemming from the UK’s involvement in Iraq will not go away unless the British justice system shows itself capable of meaningfully addressing them to the highest level.”
“The ICC prosecutor has already determined there is a basis to believe that members of the UK armed forces committed war crimes against people in their custody in Iraq."
A senior SAS commander was referred to prosecutors for attempting to pervert the course of justice, the investigation claims.
Rachel Logan, Amnesty International UK’s legal program director, said:
Quote:“Reports of killings and torture by British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a subsequent cover-up, are deeply troubling.
“If true, those responsible for sanctioning and carrying out torture and other war crimes, at all levels, must be held accountable and where appropriate, prosecuted.
“Instead of consistently seeking to sweep these most serious of allegations under the carpet, Britain needs to stand up against torture, uphold its international commitments and show it treats these cases with the seriousness they deserve.”
https://news.yahoo.com/war-crimes-court-...01993.html
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201911181...ghanistan/
