Fast track — Health and Human RightsAbu Ghraib: its legacy for military medicine
Section snippets
The policies
As the Bush administration planed to retaliate against al-Qaeda's terrorist attacks on the USA, it was reluctant to accept that the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War would apply to al-Qaeda detainees.24 In January, 2002, a memorandum from the US Department of Justice to the Department of Defense concluded that since al-Qaeda was not a national signatory to international conventions and treaties, these obligations did not apply.4 It also concluded that the
The offences
Confirmed or reliably reported abuses of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan include beatings, burns, shocks, bodily suspensions, asphyxia, threats against detainees and their relatives, sexual humiliation, isolation, prolonged hooding and shackling, and exposure to heat, cold, and loud noise.1, 14, 19, 24, 33, 34 These include deprivation of sleep, food, clothing, and material for personal hygiene, and denigration of Islam and forced violation of its rites.19 Detainees were forced to work in
The legacy
Pentagon officials offer many reasons for these abuses including poor training, understaffing, overcrowding of detainees and military personnel, anti-Islamic prejudice, racism, pressure to procure intelligence, a few criminally-inclined guards, the stress of war, and uncertain lengths of deployment.1, 2, 13, 16, 17 Fundamentally however, the stage for these offences was set by policies that were lax or permissive with regard to human rights abuses, and a military command that was inattentive to
References (59)
- et al.
The impact of torture on post-traumatic stress symptoms in war-affected Tamil refugees and immigrants
Comp Psychiat
(2002) - et al.
Torture and its sequel--a comparison between victims from six countries
Forensic Sci Intl
(2003) Human-rights groups express alarm at prosecution of Turkish doctors
Lancet
(2000)Transcripts of Open Hearings
Transcribed by eMediaMillWorks Inc
Working Group Report on Detainee Interrogations in the Global War on Terrorism: Assessment of Legal, Historical, Policy and Operational Considerations
Memorandum for General Counsel Secretary of Defense. Application of Treaties and Laws to al-Qaeda and Taliban Detainees
Memorandum for the Vice President. Humane Treatment of al Queda and Taliban Detainees
Memorandum for Robert R Gonzales Counsel to the President. Re: Standards of Conduct for Interrogation under 18 U.S.C. 2340-2340A. Aug 1, 2002. US Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel