On the 12th anniversary of the terrorist attack on September 11, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks called for reflection on anti-terrorist responses by the US and European governments. He commemorated the lives lost on September 11 2001 but observed that the response of US and European governments had resulted in further suffering, in violation of human rights law. He said, “To date, governments have been unwilling to establish the truth and ensure accountability for their complicity in the unlawful programme of 'extraordinary renditions' – involving abduction, detention and ill-treatment of suspected terrorists – carried out by the CIA in Europe between 2002 and 2006. In many cases, an abuse of the state secrets privilege hampered judiciary and parliamentary initiatives to determine responsibility”.
He noted that an investigation by the Open Society Justice Initiative had revealed that 25 European countries, including Ireland, have co-operated with the CIA’s extraordinary rendition programme.
Few of the European governments which colluded in extraordinary rendition have been held to account. In 2012 the European Court of Human Rights held that Macedonia had violated the European Convention on Human Rights in the case of El Masri v the Former Republic of Macedonia where the applicant was tortured by a CIA rendition team in the presence of Macedonian officials. The court also ruled that the arbitrary detention of the applicant amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment and that Macedonia had failed to carry out an effective investigation into the allegations. Italy is the only European country which has successfully prosecuted individuals involved in extraordinary rendition, having convicted in absentia 23 US citizens and 5 Italian secret service agents for the rendition to Egypt of a Muslim cleric. The UK and Sweden have awarded compensation to individuals who were victims of torture through extraordinary rendition.
Calling for greater accountability Mr Muižnieks said, “The CIA programme of rendition and secret detention is not simply a grave political mistake: it is above all a serious violation of fundamental human rights. The continued impunity breeds contempt for democracy and the rule of law, as well as disrespect for the victims and values in whose name the fight against terrorism was carried out. It is high time to set the record straight.”
Ireland permitted the use of Irish airspace and airports, particularly Shannon, for flights involved in extraordinary rendition. Click here to read a 2007 report on extraordinary rendition by the Irish Human Rights Commission.
Click here to read a report from Open Society Justice Initiative investigating EU government collusion in extraordinary rendition.
Click here to read a press release from the Council of Europe
Click here to read an article in the Irish Examiner.