22 November 2010
According to documents published by Wikileaks on 22 October 2010, US forces in Iraq may have handed over detainees to their Iraqi counterparts, knowing that there was a risk they could be tortured.
The UN's chief investigator on torture, Manfred Nowak, has stated that if these documents contain possible evidence of violation of the UN Convention Against Torture, then it is the responsibility of the US Government to investigate any allegations of abuse. Not doing so would represent a failure of the Obama administration to recognise its obligations under international law.
It would therefore be opportune to take action at international level.
Will the Council call on the UN to set up an independent investigation in order to ascertain all the facts?
If this investigation confirms the abuses against detainees, will the Council help bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that the victims receive adequate compensation?
Question for written answer to the Council - Rule 117
Pino Arlacchi (S&D), Ivo Vajgl (ALDE)
[source: www.europarl.europa.eu]
Italian version (.pdf)
