Amnesty International: Revelations About Detention Flights in Diego Garcia Highlight Need for Full Inquiry
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2008
11:58 AM
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CONTACT: Amnesty International
AIUSA media office,
202-544-0200 x302
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Revelations About Detention Flights in Diego Garcia Highlight Need for Full Inquiry, Urges Amnesty International
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WASHINGTON, DC - February 22 - Further inquiries into allegations of rendition flights announced by the U.K. government should not be a substitute for a full, independent investigation into any other United Kingdom involvement in renditions, Amnesty International said following the admission by the U.S. and U.K. governments that two rendition flights had landed in Diego Garcia in 2002.
"As recognized by the U.K. government, the revelation that U.S. planes involved in the transfers of detainees, landed in Diego Garcia directly contradicts its own repeated assurances and public denials to the contrary. It highlights the need for full investigations into the United States' detention and rendition practices and any involvement or complicity of European countries," Claudio Cordone, senior director at Amnesty International said today.
"European governments must now recognize that reliance on U.S. assurances about renditions has been an inadequate response to an unlawful practice. The Diego Garcia admission must spur into action all European countries by initiating thorough, independent investigations. Governments must heed the calls by the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe and the European Parliament. They must also take immediate steps to ensure that the practice of rendition is not allowed to happen again."
Renditions have involved the abduction of individuals, the illegal transfer of detainees, enforced disappearance, torture, and secret detention. These are violations of international human rights and domestic law. Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the U.K. authorities to carry out an independent investigation into any U.K. involvement in the practice of rendition.
The admission by the U.K. authorities of having misled the parliament, international bodies and the public, as well as the government's stated intention to carry out investigations into other alleged rendition flights is a positive step.
The U.K. authorities must now carry out a thorough, detailed and independent investigation into all reported flights of CIA-operated planes landing on U.K. territory or using U.K. airspace. They must also investigate any other official involvement in renditions, including any provision of information to foreign intelligence services.
The authorities must also seek full information from the United States about the past treatment and current circumstances of the two detainees who were on the planes which refueled in Diego Garcia in 2002, and reconsider their position on not keeping records of flights landing in Diego Garcia.
"The time for full disclosure is long overdue. Information that continues to emerge about the United States' detention and rendition practices, and continuing revelations about the possible involvement of other governments, cries out for transparency and accountability," Cordone said.
The organization also calls on the U.K. and other European governments, whose officials have been implicated in renditions, to prosecute anyone reasonably suspected of being responsible for human rights violations, including crimes under international law such as torture and enforced disappearance; ensure the full accountability of national and foreign intelligence agencies; ensure that all victims obtain prompt and adequate reparation; and take effective measures to prevent any future involvement in renditions.
Background
Amnesty International has been in correspondence with the current and previous U.K. Foreign Secretaries since February 2007, seeking an investigation into flight records which showed CIA-operated planes landing in Diego Garcia in 2002. Amnesty International also expressed grave concern at the failure of the UK authorities to keep records of flights in and out of Diego Garcia.
The previous Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, stated to Amnesty International that the UK government had received firm assurances from U.S. officials in October 2006 that Diego Garcia had at NO TIME (underscored) been used for transfer of prisoners, nor had they transited through its airspace. Margaret Beckett also informed the organization that the U.K. does not routinely keep records of flights in and out of Diego Garcia. The current Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, repeated this assertion to the organization in October 2007, and that the U.K. government was satisfied with the U.S. assurances.
The June 2007 report into renditions by the Council of Europe's Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights noted that the allegations surrounding the United States' reported use of Diego Garcia for its rendition program were "sufficiently serious to demand further investigation." However, the Committee was "not in a position to carry out adequate analysis in order to reach definitive conclusions," in part due to the fact that the U.K. government had "readily accepted 'assurances' from U.S. authorities ... without ever independently or transparently inquiring into the allegations itself, or accounting to the public in a sufficiently thorough manner."
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