U.S. Denies U.N. Torture Chief Iraq Access

American Prisons In Iraq Remain Off-Limits To World Body's Investigator

(CBS/AP)  The U.N. torture investigator said Tuesday that American officials are refusing him access to U.S.-run detention facilities in Iraq even though he has received credible reports that conditions there have improved.

Manfred Nowak, one of the global body's independent human rights experts, said Iraqi officials had agreed in principle that he can visit the country later this year. British officials have also agreed to let him visit detainees held by their forces, he said.

"The U.K. said yes, the U.S. said no," Nowak told reporters in Geneva, adding that he was still hoping to win approval for a visit to American-run facilities before deciding whether to travel to Iraq.

Nowak said he met Tuesday with Iraq's deputy minister for human rights, Hussein Jasim Al-Zuhairi, who repeated his country's invitation for the U.N. expert to visit.

But he was told by U.S. officials that American-run prisons in Iraq were not subject to international human rights law because of the ongoing armed conflict in the country, and as such were outside of his remit as a torture investigator.

Nowak wants unrestricted access to detainees, including the right to interview them in private.

A spokesman at the U.S. State Department in Washington declined official comment. But a State Department official familiar with the case said the United States refused Nowak's request for operational reasons. The official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak, said only the International Committee of the Red Cross has been granted full access to all of the several thousand detainees under U.S. control.

He added that Washington considers the neutral body to be the most appropriate group to conduct such visits and that extending access to other groups or individuals was not feasible because of the security situation in Iraq.

Nowak said recent reports received by his office indicate that many detainees would prefer to stay in U.S.-run prisons rather than be transferred to Iraqi facilities.

"That's why I am also a little astonished that the U.S. government is not willing to grant me access because it might even be in their interest," Nowak said.

Images of prisoner abuse at the American-run detention facility Abu Ghraib drew international criticism of the way U.S. forces treated detainees. The prison was later closed and transferred to Iraqi control. Nowak said the situation has reportedly improved since then.

But the Austrian law professor, who compiles reports for the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, said he wants to examine the current detention conditions in Iraq for himself.

The State Department official said the U.S. was happy to continue discussions with Nowak.

Nowak has previously clashed with Washington over the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, which he says should be closed, and the use of certain interrogation techniques on terror suspects.

[rowdytexan2]

What? The US isn''t allowing UN inspectors in Iraq? Didn''t we just have Saddam Hussein hanged because of US CLAIMS that he wasn''t allowing US inspectors to do their job? How much more hypocritical can the Bush regime get?

The UN should just step in and take over all those prisons and make sure they are conducted properly. Then those 20,000 or so drawn troops could go ahead and come home.

[truth832-2009]

How could this be? I am a veteran with a service connected 60% disablity. I would have to have reservations about fighting for the US under this administration. Not that they care! What they have done to the american military reservists is akin to forced labor. They could unfortunately, care less about the conditions of american soldiers much less the perceived enemy!
God Bless America.

[aldon61]

I am disgusted by this administration''s refusal to allow UN inspectors to visit our US run prisons in Iraq. What in the hell are we hiding? As a veteran myself, I can assure you this type of action puts our military at risk if they are captured. If we don''t play by the rules, why should we demand that they do it? I will allow that this "war" if far different from our conventional wars of the past. I will also allow that the enemy is ruthless and most likely to mistreat prisoners once they are captured. However, we need to be an example by taking the high road, that way, the rest of the world will be much more supportive of our efforts. My mom told it best: "two wrongs don''t make a right".

[skyk-2009]

My God! Who is in charge of our Government? What in God''s name are they thinking?? When our troops are in prisons in other nations we have a right to demand the UN be allowed to see them to find out if they are being tortured. We have a responsibility to all who wear the uniform to make sure this remains. Now we find our OWN Government, so corrupt and evil, that they can not allow what we have so long insisted on!! We are being lead by people who are NOT the kind of people America has been so proud of in the past. These are NOT people who should be calling themselves American''s, PERIOD!! Combat Vet. USMC. 1968-72

[stn_sage]

Each one of the first five posters raised very pertinent points! I agree with them. This administration is really making US look like the ''Evil Empire''!

[armydog2]

What are you hiding george? Let the UN inspector in, if iran or any other country did this you would be shooting your mouth off. We are looking like global thugs because of you and your pitbull cheney. You have dishonored and disgraced our nation.

[middleman8]

The whole world should tell the U S to go home and straighten out their own mess before making a mess of the world.

Come on China and Russia put the run on them.

and this is from a Korean war time vet.

[aaabee-2009]

How will this reflect on the US Soldiers caught and captured by "the enemy"?

This administration seems to have no qualms about the repercussions to our own troops by their actions, but then, they never have.

Bush and Cheney, men of no courage who were too scared to go to war themselves are further endangering our troops who do have the courage.

Put on another flag lapel pin, Bush, you patriot you.

[truth832-2009]

Now Vice-President Cheney wants to spend more money to build a missle defense system. I am not surprised. This administration now needs to "protect" itself from the horror they have created!
Indeed our country is in more danger then prior to the 911 attack. The danger is reflected in our economy as well! Further, our soldiers, if captured, have no right to complain about being tortured. What a sad state of affairs.
USMC 1967-69

[hotpaulie]

Of course King George and Shotgun Cheney think they can do anything to POWs. They were never in a situation in which they could have been captured by a foreign military. America use to have a positive legacy. That has been trappled on the past 6-7 years.

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush is refusing to allow UN inspectors to inspect US run prisons in Iraq looking for "torture".

The Great Emperor continues to insist that the USSA does not torture anyone but does use "advanced interrogation techniques" as discovered by VP Darth Vader Cheney and the CIA in books about the Spanish Inquistion and documentary footage on Nazi death camps in WW II.

The Great Emperor insists that the information obtained from such "techniques" has been of extreme value though there is a much better chance that the information obtained has been totally worthless.

Still, the Great Emperor holds true to his word (as worthless as that is!) and will not allow any inspections by anyone as he doesn''t want another Abu Ghareb to mar his already banged up legacy!!!

Meanwhile it is anticipated that Europeans and other nations through out the world are awaiting the end of the Great Emperor''s term in office, so that they can file charges in world courts against him for crimes against humanity. For that reason, the Great Emperor plans on "retiring" to his ranch in Texas, protected by the Secret Service inside and the "Rambos" of Blackwater on the outer perimeter.

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!
sig heil, McCain????

[superdem]

One of the reasons Bush gave for invading Iraq was that Saddam refused to cooperate with the UN investigators. Now Bush won''t cooperate with the UN investigators. This is an outrage that destroys American credibility - if there was any left.

USA = Rogue State

[stevex47]

Ya, but Clinton got a bj, and Spitzer was fooling around too.

[crusherking]

Again, You Bush bashers don''t read the whole article and only pick and choose 1 part of it to start your rants. We are NOT hiding ANYTHING! The article clearly states that we allow the international red cross foundation into the US run prisons to do exactly what Nowak wants to do. Frankly, I don''t see what he hopes to accomplish. I certainly think that the Red Cross is credible enough to report on the state of affairs in these camps.

[j-whitman]

dragonwagon5,,,, What makes you so sure that God blesses this country more than he does any other ???

[crusherking]

Hey Steve, J. Edgar Hoover wore women''''s underwear. Did he do any less of a job busting the Mafia and KKK?

If we want angels for prosecutors then we''''ll be buried in our eyeballs in crime.

When we find out that they have committed a crime themselves, then we prosecute them too.

Bush may be prosecuted someday.

Posted by Nancy_Naive


Nancy,
You do realize that J. Edgar Hoover was a totalitarian personality. He controlled everything and everyone. He believed in and consistently used wiretapping to gather evidence against criminals and political adversaries. He was also known to use information he gathered for blackmail.. Just wanted to make sure you knew a little more about your ''example''.

[truth832-2009]

The United State should allow the UN representative to inspect its prisons for torture at any reasonable time it chooses to do so. That the Red Cross is allowed to inspect for torture is not sufficient grounds to refuse the UN inspections! The fact that the effort to pass an anti-torture bill was vetoed by this administration is all the more reasons for allowing more inspectors.

[inventagod]

Let''s get Bu$h up in front of the World Court -
It''s hanging-time.

[pvperson]

And again we demonstrate that the US is a rogue nation. Thanks Bush/Cheney, you both should be on trial for crimes aganist humanity.

[crusherking]

Inventagod, while your at it lets put Hilary and Bill Clinton up there as well. Seems they have done enough to undermine American interests and have killed enough people as well.

[forthepeopl1]

THE RED CROSS IS OWN BY BUSH/CHENEY. YOU ******

[barryrose1]

SATAN Bush and Lucifer Cheney

[samael2014]

Does anybody know what legal jurisdiction the U.S. government is operating under?

How about, does anybody know what legal jurisdiction the U.S. government is operating under, with regard to international law, the U.N. charter and the Nuremberg principles, having invaded a sovereign country; and how the U.N. can continue to have any legitimacy under these circumstances? Or better yet, why the rest of the world continues to even bother atttending, when the EU has infinitely more integrity and trust as a world body?

[frankbowers]

We went and bomb Iraq because they refused to allow our investagors in so now we are refusing the investagors in to check our prisons to see if there is anything illegal goin on, when will be be bombed and by whom I hope gw bush has notgot to make the decision as we will be bombed and soon.
The best of good byes Frnk Bwoers of Austin, TX

[frankbowers]

how the NEO-CON''S hate the Clinton family now they want to put them lup there with gw bush as the reason we are waterboarding. Sorry they see the writing on the wall and still refuse to read.
The best of good byes Frank Bowers of Austin, TX

[slpdisk]

And the reputation of this beautiful country slips another notch. So sad.

[sigotratando]

Who says he is supposed to be objective and unpolitical?
Posted by Nancy_Naive

That''s an interesting question. Whether he is just an investigator or, especially, a judge, & if we believe that bias & other agendas cloud the ability to fairly assess or arrive at fair conclusions, then it seems reasonable to expect objectivity & apoliticality (to make up a word).

[rickstas]

And the US has a lot of nerve to critisize China!

[libsrweak]

And the US has a lot of nerve to critisize China!

Posted by Rickstas at 05:57 PM : Mar 13, 2008
+ report abuse

******

and you have a lot of nerve to critisize the US and still live in the US and not anywhere else..

[libsrweak]

Does anybody know what legal jurisdiction the U.S. government is operating under?

How about, does anybody know what legal jurisdiction the U.S. government is operating under, with regard to international law, the U.N. charter and the Nuremberg principles, having invaded a sovereign country; and how the U.N. can continue to have any legitimacy under these circumstances? Or better yet, why the rest of the world continues to even bother atttending, when the EU has infinitely more integrity and trust as a world body?

Posted by samael2014 at 04:23 PM : Mar 12, 2008
+ report abuse

*******

BETTER YET ..what legal jurisdiction does the UN have?

[libsrweak]

the UN is a joke! anybody care to debate that??

[libsrweak]

"(AP) Al Qaeda''s branch for North Africa on Thursday set a three-day deadline to meet conditions for the release of two Austrian tourists it claimed to have kidnapped in Tunisia last month."

and what is the UN going to do about this??? NOTHING!!
the UN is a joke and a muslim''s bit ch!

[libsrweak]

''Matteo Pegoraro, president of the Italian-based gay rights group EveryOne, which is lobbying for Kazemi, has said he knows of 10 gay people executed in Iran since 2005, based on reports from nongovernment groups and activists.''

and what is the UN going to do about this??? NOTHING!!
the UN is a joke and a muslim''''s bit ch!