Via Bourque this morning comes this newslink, with the following photo and caption:
IRAQ: WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH?
One Thousand A Month Tortured To Death In Iraq:
Dr. John Pace drops a bombshell that translates as a whisper through obscure Maltese paper
Proving that Abu Ghraib and Gitmo are the tip of the iceberg, the outgoing UN human rights chief dropped a bombshell when he told an obscure Maltese newspaper that as many as a thousand detainees a month are being tortured to death in Iraq.
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Other statements made by John Pace:
In a frank interview with The Times, Dr Pace says photos and forensic records have proved that torture was rife inside detention centres. Though the process of release has been speeded up, there are an estimated 23,000 people in detention, of whom 80 to 90 per cent are innocent.
He says the Baghdad morgue received 1,100 bodies in July alone, about 900 of whom bore evidence of torture or summary execution. That continued throughout the year and last December there were 780 bodies, including 400 having gunshot wounds or wounds as those caused by electric drills.
UN Human Rights chief criticises lawlessness in Iraq:
The senior United Nations official charged with promoting human rights in Iraq has lashed out against the growing lawlessness in the country. Thousands are held without trial, and torture and illegal executions are rampant, says John Pace, head of the UN Human Rights Office for Iraq.
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“This, tragically, is not difficult to prove. Many of these bodies turn up either in the street or in the morgue, clearly bearing signs of torture. Many of them would have been picked up by uniformed people from these brigades a few hours earlier.”
UN accuses US of wholesale rights violations in Iraq (This was diaried by jpol.):
“There is no question that terrorism has to be addressed. But we are equally sure that the remedies being applied… are not the best way of eliminating terrorism,” Pace said during an interview on Sunday.
He quoted instances where Iraqi judges had ordered the release of groups of prisoners, and had found not only that their orders had been refused, but found themselves locked up as a reprisal.
And in light of the above articles, this story is predictable and … ironic … but that is a poor descriptor in this instance, as it does not fit with the reverence this topic deserves.
The dead do tell stories–of abduction, torture, execution–And it’s not just the insurgents who are on a killing streak
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“It’s relatively common to find dead bodies throughout the battlefield that show signs of torture and execution,” says Capt. Jennifer Williams, a U.S. Army intelligence officer, whose area of responsibility includes much of West Baghdad.
Who’s who. It’s hard to tell at a glance the difference between criminals, government forces, and militias.
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U.S. officials have become increasingly concerned about the level of police abuses, particularly by counterinsurgency commando units assembled quickly and, as a result, populated with Shiite militia members. President Bush last month acknowledged as much when he announced a new effort to give “human rights and ethics” training to Iraqi police, noting that some have used their positions “to take it out on others because of past grievances.”
IRAQ: WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH?
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All emphasis mine.