The United Nations’ special torture rapporteur called on the United States to pursue former president George W Bush and former defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld for torture and bad treatment of Guantanamo Bay prisoners.
"Judicially speaking, the United States has a clear obligation" to bring proceedings against Mr Bush and Mr Rumsfeld, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, said in remarks to be broadcast on Germany’s ZDF television yesterday evening.
He noted Washington had ratified the UN convention on torture, which required "all means, particularly penal law" to be used to bring proceedings against those violating it.
"We have all these documents that are now publicly available that prove that these methods of interrogation were intentionally ordered by Rumsfeld," against detainees at the US prison facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Mr Nowak said.
"But obviously the highest authorities in the United States were aware of this," added Mr Nowak, who authored a UN investigation report on the Guantanamo prison.
Mr Bush has stepped down from power, with Barack Obama becoming the 44th President of the United States.
Asked about chances to bring legal action against Mr Bush and Mr Rumsfeld, Mr Nowak said: "In principle, yes, I think the evidence is on the table."
At issue, however, is whether "American law will recognise these forms of torture".
A bipartisan Senate report released last month found Mr Rumsfeld and other top administration officials responsible for abuse of Guantanamo detainees in US custody.
It said Mr Rumsfeld authorised harsh interrogation techniques on December 2, 2002, at the Guantanamo prison, although he ruled them out a month later.
The coercive measures were based on a document signed by Mr Bush in February, 2002.
French, German and US rights groups have previously said they wanted to bring legal action against Mr Rumsfeld.
Sen. Carl Levin discusses his investigation into Bush Administration torture, today, January 21, 2009
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