Monday, September 14, 2009

Obama Breaks International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Ever heard of Bagram prison? It's Guantanamo Lite. First I'll tell you what the ICCPR says, and then how we're breaking it: 
...everyone shall be entitled to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality:
...to communicate with counsel of his own choosing;
...To be tried without undue delay;
...to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing; to be informed, if he does not have legal assistance, of this right; and to have legal assistance assigned to him, in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment by him in any such case if he does not have sufficient means to pay for it;
........ Not to be compelled to testify against himself or to confess guilt.
 "legal council of his choosing" huh? "undue delay" huh?

Take a look at what we're doing in Bagram. The Pentagon is about to assign
...military officials to each of the detainees to help to collect evidence and witnesses to support any case they may have to be freed.
So no lawyers. Just military officers. Seems very just. Now let's see how "undue" their delay is.
And about the right to not confess.
According to the best available estimates, at least 600 prisoners are held at Bagram,.... where they have been held for up to seven years. 
...a vast amount of the government’s supposed evidence consisted not of verifiable facts, but of "confessions" made by other prisoners – or by the prisoners themselves – under unknown circumstances.

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