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France justice ministry rejects Noriega request to be treated as POW

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

[JURIST] The French Justice Ministry on Thursday denied a request from former Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega to be treated as a prisoner of war (POW). Noriega currently awaits trial in France on money laundering charges. Justice Ministry spokesperson Guillaume Didier said that Noriega will not be treated as a POW because the charges are based on breaches of common law not related to military service. Being treated as a POW would entitle Noriega to special treatment under the Geneva Convention, but Guillaume says conditions of French prisons are consistent with the requirements of the Geneva Conventions regardless. Noriega was already sentenced in absentia to 10 years in jail by a French court in 1999, but under French law is entitled to a new trial. Earlier this week, Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli said that his government will seek the Noriega's extradition to face charges of human rights violations in Panama. Also this week, a French judge ruled that Noriega must remain in custody until his trial. Noriega arrived in France Tuesday morning after being extradited from the US, where he had served a 17-year sentence on drug charges. He had fought extradition from the US since 2007. Last month, the US Supreme Court declined to reconsider Noriega's petition to stop the extradition process. The US State Department had indicated that it was satisfied that France will treat Noriega as a POW if Noriega was extradited to that country.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 30, 2010 (boomark / email).