Skip to main content

Trump's pardon of Blackwater Iraq contractors violates international law: UN

Image
By Admin
United States President Donald Trump
United States President Donald Trump’s pardon of four American men convicted of killing Iraqi civilians while working as contractors in 2007 violated US obligations under international law, United Nations human rights experts said on Wednesday.

Nicholas Slatten was convicted of first-degree murder, while Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were convicted of voluntary and attempted manslaughter, over the incident in which US contractors opened fire in busy traffic in a Baghdad square and killed 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians.

The four contractors, who worked for the private security firm Blackwater owned by the brother of Trump’s education secretary, were included in a wave of pre-Christmas pardons announced by the White House.

“Pardoning the Blackwater contractors is an affront to justice and to the victims of the Nisour Square massacre and their families,” Jelena Aparac, chair of the UN working group on the use of mercenaries, said in a statement.

The Geneva Conventions oblige states to hold war criminals accountable for their crimes, even when they act as private security contractors, the UN experts said.

“These pardons violate US obligations under international law and more broadly undermine humanitarian law and human rights at a global level.”

By allowing private security contractors to “operate with impunity in armed conflicts”, states will be emboldened to circumvent their obligations under humanitarian law, they said.

The pardons were strongly criticised by many in the United States. General David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, respectively commander of US forces and US ambassador in Iraq at the time of the incident, called Trump’s pardons “hugely damaging, an action that tells the world that Americans abroad can commit the most heinous crimes with impunity”.

In a statement announcing the pardons, the White House said the move was “broadly supported by the public” and backed by a number of Republican lawmakers.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Army chief assures business community of ‘complete support’ for economic uplift

By Admin
Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday assured the business community of the army’s “complete support” for the economic uplift of the country. He made this assurance during a meeting with businessmen who called on him at the General Headquarters today, according to a statement by the military’s media affairs wing. A delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and the army chief discussed the “evolving regional economic environment” as well as the FPCCI’s role in the development of commercial and industrial hubs in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. During the meeting, Gen Bajwa appreciated the role of the business community in the economic uplift of the country and affirmed all-out support of the army in this regard. The delegation, meanwhile, acknowledged the Pakistan Army’s role and sacrifices in the provision of a "secure enabling environment" for economic prosperity in the country, acco...
Post a Comment
Read more

3rd U-19 Women T20: South Africa beat Pakistan by 52 runs

By
In the third T20 of the five-match series in Karachi, South Africa Under-19 women's team defeated Pakistan Under-19 women's team by 52 runs tonight. Batting first, South Africa Under-19 women's team scored 158 runs for the loss of six wickets in allotted 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan Under-19 women's team were all out for 106 runs in 18 overs. South Africa lead the series 2-1.
Post a Comment
Read more

Military court case: SC rejects govt plea for constitution of full court bench

By
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected a government plea to constitute a full court bench to decide the issue of civilian trials in military courts. The government had urged the court to set up a full court on the question. The was heard by a six-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, which reserved its judgment on Tuesday. The bench ruled that judges were not available for the constitution of full court bench due to summer vacations. The bench includes Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court remarked during the hearing yesterday (on Tuesday) that there should be an independent body to review whether the arrests were made on valid grounds or not. The attorney general of Pakistan submitted the details of 102 people who face military trials to the court. Justice Mazahir Naqvi said in his remarks why other accused in the same case ...
Post a Comment
Read more