abu ghraib

US defense contractor to pay former Iraqi detainees $42 million for its role in torture at notorious Abu Ghraib prison - CNN

  1. US defense contractor to pay former Iraqi detainees $42 million for its role in torture at notorious Abu Ghraib prison  CNN
  2. Abu Ghraib torture survivors win US civil case, $42m damages  Al Jazeera English
  3. US jury awards $42m to ex-detainees at Iraq's Abu Ghraib  BBC.com
  4. How a Troy lawyer convinced U.S. jury to award $42 million to 3 Iraqi prisoners  Detroit Free Press
  5. U.S. Jury Awards $42 Million to Iraqi Men Abused at Abu Ghraib  The New York Times




abu ghraib

US contractor ordered to pay $42 million to Iraqis tortured at Abu Ghraib

WASHINGTON: A federal jury on Tuesday ordered a US defense contractor to pay $42 million in damages to three Iraqi men who were tortured at Abu Ghraib prison, their lawyers said.

CACI Premier Technology Inc was found liable at the conclusion of a long-running trial for its role in the torture of the three men at the notorious prison in 2003 and 2004, the Center for Constitutional Rights said.

Suhail Al Shimari, a middle school principal, Asa’ad Zuba’e, a fruit vendor, and Salah Al-Ejaili, a journalist, were each awarded $14 million in damages, the center said in a statement.

The three men filed suit against CACI, a private company based in Arlington, Virginia, in 2008.

Abu Ghraib prison, west of Baghdad, became a potent negative symbol of the US occupation of Iraq after evidence emerged of detainee abuse by American soldiers at the facility.

Most of the abuse took place at the end of 2003, when CACI employees were working in the prison, according to the suit.

The company’s civilian employees were accused of having encouraged US soldiers to abuse the prisoners to prepare them for interrogation.

Criminal charges were brought against 11 low-ranking guards, including former army reserve specialist Lynndie England, who was shown smiling in photographs while posing next to naked prisoners.

The case against CACI was brought under a section of the US Code called the Alien Tort Statute, which allows non-US citizens to file suit in US courts for human rights violations for incidents that took place outside the United States.

CACI claimed that most of the alleged abuse was approved by the then-US defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, and incorporated into rules of engagement by military commanders at the prison.

“Today is a big day for me and for justice,“ Al-Ejaili said in a statement.

“This victory is a shining light for everyone who has been oppressed and a strong warning to any company or contractor practicing different forms of torture and abuse.”

Katherine Gallagher, an attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, welcomed the jury’s verdict saying it “makes clear CACI’s role in this shameful part of our history.”

“Private military and security contractors are put on notice that they can and will be held accountable when they breach the most fundamental international law protections -- like the prohibition against torture,“ Gallagher said.

“For 20 years, CACI has refused to take responsibility for its role in torture at Abu Ghraib.”




abu ghraib

Jury awards Abu Ghraib detainees $42 million, holds contractor responsible

A U.S. jury on Tuesday awarded $42 million to three former detainees of Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison, holding a Virginia-based military contractor responsible for contributing to their torture and mistreatment two decades ago.




abu ghraib

Jury awards Abu Ghraib detainees $42 million, holds contractor responsible




abu ghraib

US jury awards $42m to ex-detainees at Iraq's Abu Ghraib

A Virginia-based defence contractor is found liable for the abuse of three former prisoners.




abu ghraib

A U.S. jury awards former Iraqi detainees $42 million for Abu Ghraib prison abuse

The jury also decided to hold a Virginia-based military contractor responsible for contributing to the torture and mistreatment of detainees at the notorious Iraqi prison two decades ago.