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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Top military appeals court upholds Abu Ghraib guard convictions

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces on Friday upheld the convictions of two soldiers found guilty of offenses committed as guards at Abu Ghraib prison. Army Spc. Sabrina Harman had been convicted of conspiracy, dereliction of duty and maltreatment of prisoners dating back to November 2003. Sgt. Michael Smith, similarly, was found guilty of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners, dereliction of duty and indecent acts. Harman first gained notoriety by posing with a thumbs-up sign beside a pyramid of naked detainees, while Smith is best known for using a Belgian shepherd to intimidate prisoners. The appeals court upheld the convictions, finding no reversible error in the decision of the lower court, the Army Court of Criminal Appeals. The convictions recognized limited rights on the part of detainees outside the US. Last May, the Obama administration decided not to release photographs allegedly depicting rape and sexual assault carried out against Abu Ghraib detainees. Sexual abuse of detainees and other rights violations at Abu Ghraib occurring after the US invasion of Iraq have long been issues of concern for rights groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In 2006, Abu Ghraib was turned over to Iraqi authorities and has since been renamed Baghdad Central Prison.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 05, 2010 (boomark / email).