Britain must investigate torture in Iraq, Afghanistan: United Nations
Baku, June 1 (AZERTAC). The United Nations torture watchdog called on Britain on Friday to widen and speed up investigations into allegations that British forces tortured detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan and prosecute those responsible.
British inquiries into alleged abuses by its forces in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003 have been slow and there have been no prosecutions for torture or complicity in abuse, although there have been courts martial, the UN body said.
UN committee voiced concern that 6 soldiers had been cleared and a corporal who pleaded guilty to inhumane treatment got only 1 year prison term.
Its 10 independent experts issued their conclusions after examining Britain`s record in complying with a torture ban.
The committee welcomed Britain`s pledge to hold an "independent, judge-led inquiry" and publish parts of a secret interim report by Sir Peter Gibson on involvement of British security and intelligence agencies in mistreating detainees held abroad. But it regretted no timetables had been set.
There have been two British public inquiries into military conduct in Iraq. The first, into the death of 26-year-old hotel receptionist Baha Mousa in British custody in Basra in 2003, found in 2011 he had died after suffering "an appalling episode of serious gratuitous violence" at the hands of British troops.
The UN committee voiced concern that six soldiers had been cleared and a corporal who pleaded guilty to inhumane treatment got only a one-year prison term after a court martial in 2007.
An inquiry into allegations that British soldiers killed, mutilated and tortured Iraqi detainees including Hamid Al-Sweady in 2004 after a battle in southern Iraq began in March is due to publish a report by the end of 2014. The military denies any unlawful killings or ill-treatment in the battle`s aftermath.
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