24 February 2006
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH URGES FULL DISCLOSURE ON SECRET CIA DETENTION CENTRES
As two European bodies continue investigations into the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) unlawful detention and transfer of terrorist suspects in European countries, Human Rights Watch has called on governments to provide full disclosure about their participation in, or knowledge of, the U.S. agency's activities.
The IFEX member says evidence uncovered to date raises serious questions about the extent of European involvement in these abuses.
The Council of Europe, a regional human rights body that oversees the European Convention on Human Rights, has asked governments to provide, by 21 February 2006, explanations regarding European involvement in the CIA's detainee operations.
Under article 52 of the Convention, European countries that have ratified the treaty are legally bound to provide this information.
The European Parliament has established an ad-hoc committee to hold hearings on the allegations, which begin on 23 February.
Human Rights Watch says Germany, Italy, Macedonia and Sweden need to provide specific information on transfers of terrorism suspects to places where they were at risk of torture. Poland and Romania must also respond to allegations that the CIA operated secret detention sites on their territory, the group says.
The existence of secret CIA detention sites in Europe first came to the public's attention in November 2005 following a report by "Washington Post" journalist Dana Priest.
Visit these links:
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/72398/
- Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/doc/?t=usa_antiterror
- Washington Post: http://tinyurl.com/bbqyx
- Council of Europe: http://tinyurl.com/m6tfo
- European Parliament: http://tinyurl.com/nbj74
- Frontline on the Torture Question: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/torture/
- How the U.S. Outsources Torture: http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050214fa_fact6
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