DW : Rumsfeld Sued for Alleged War Crimes
Reuters : U.S. Group Urges Rumsfeld War Crimes Probe in Germany
Several other websites also mention it, such as The Center for Constitutional Rights.
The question is now "will they succeed ?" and "How long will it take ?". Would you like to see similar charges held against president Bush ? Does the US guarantee presidential immunity (like France) ? If so, does it expire after his term at the white house ? It took several decades to judge Pinochet (not yet finished) and he was more vulnerable than a US president, so there is less chance that Bush be sued, even his he is responsible for mor death than Pinochet.
Let us not forget that Belgium had alreday strated procedures to prosecute George H.W. Bush for the 1991 Gulf War, George W Bush and Tony Blair for the current war, as well as Yasser Arafaf (now dead), and Ariel Sharon, all under its universal competence law.
BBC News : Belgium opens way for Sharon trial
Unfortunately, when it came to Bush sr and jr, the US threatened to move the NATO's headquarters out of Belgium if it were to continue the case, and that led to this : BBC News : Belgium rethinks war crimes law
And finally : Belgium amends war crimes law
Alleging responsibility for war crimes and torture at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, a human rights group has filed a criminal complaint in Germany against US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other top US officials.
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They said they had chosen Germany because of its Code of Crimes Against International Law, introduced in 2002, which grants German courts universal jurisdiction in cases involving war crimes or crimes against humanity.
Reuters : U.S. Group Urges Rumsfeld War Crimes Probe in Germany
BERLIN (Reuters) - A U.S. human rights group urged German prosecutors Tuesday to investigate accusations that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and senior U.S. officers are guilty of war crimes over the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal.
In an unusual legal move, the U.S. Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) has filed a criminal complaint with Germany's Federal Prosecutors along with four Iraqis who say they were tortured and humiliated alongside other prisoners by U.S. soldiers at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad.
CCR is taking advantage of a 2002 German law allowing prosecutions for human rights and war crimes regardless of where the acts took place or the nationalities of the perpetrators.
The group says Rumsfeld, former CIA Director George Tenet, a senior defense official and seven U.S. military officers, including the former top U.S. commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, were ultimately responsible for the torture and humiliation of the Iraqis by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib.
Several other websites also mention it, such as The Center for Constitutional Rights.
The question is now "will they succeed ?" and "How long will it take ?". Would you like to see similar charges held against president Bush ? Does the US guarantee presidential immunity (like France) ? If so, does it expire after his term at the white house ? It took several decades to judge Pinochet (not yet finished) and he was more vulnerable than a US president, so there is less chance that Bush be sued, even his he is responsible for mor death than Pinochet.
Let us not forget that Belgium had alreday strated procedures to prosecute George H.W. Bush for the 1991 Gulf War, George W Bush and Tony Blair for the current war, as well as Yasser Arafaf (now dead), and Ariel Sharon, all under its universal competence law.
BBC News : Belgium opens way for Sharon trial
Unfortunately, when it came to Bush sr and jr, the US threatened to move the NATO's headquarters out of Belgium if it were to continue the case, and that led to this : BBC News : Belgium rethinks war crimes law
Belgium's governing parties are scrambling to amend a controversial law which some fear could be used in a war crimes lawsuit against US President George W Bush.
The law allows Belgian courts to pass judgment on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, regardless of where the alleged acts took place or the nationality of the accused.
Critics have warned that a case against President Bush could be filed under the law, known as universal competence, and Belgium's role as host to international institutions could be threatened.
And finally : Belgium amends war crimes law
The Belgian Senate has given final approval to a new version of a war crimes law which had led to cases being filed against several world leaders.
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The revised law drops a controversial "universal competence" clause which led to complaints being filed against US President George W Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
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Previously, Belgian courts could try anyone for war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity, regardless of their nationality and of where the alleged crimes were committed.
The new bill will limit the jurisdiction of the courts to cases only involving Belgian citizens and residents.
The US had threatened to block further funding for Nato's new headquarters in Belgium until the law was withdrawn.