Without Consequences (Abductions and Torture)

Newsletter 2009/09/28 - Without Consequences (Abductions and Torture)

Date: Mon 10/05/2009 05:46 PM

Newsletter 2009/09/28 - Without Consequences

BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Own report) - In the course of the German cabinet reshuffle, human rights organizations are raising grave accusations against the German government. In a recent Human Rights Watch statement, an expert is demanding that EU governments "reveal the true extent of torture carried out on their soil", because of their assistance in CIA abductions and torture. The German government, in particular, has been thwarting efforts to solve the crimes. The accusations, made public just prior to German federal elections, are raised against the former and newly re-elected Chancellor, Angela Merkel, her future Foreign Minister, Westerwelle (FDP), and particularly against the still incumbent Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. As Head of the Federal Chancellery, Steinmeier was in charge of the German repressive organs' cooperation in torture carried out by the United States in the aftermath of 9/11/2001. The German government is maintaining its silence on its current cooperation with Washington, which has confirmed its continuation of the use of extralegal renditions even though without excessive torture. The Obama administration is therefore reverting to practices established under the Clinton Administration - without Germany's protest.

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http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/en/fulltext/56283