Sacking of Crusading Judge Fuels Concerns Over Iraq Rights Record

Quote:

---

Sacking of Crusading Judge Fuels Concerns Over Iraq Rights Record


One of Iraq's leading judicial champions of the rule of law has been sacked, fueling concerns the US-backed government is adopting strong-arm tactics reminiscent of the old regime in its war against insurgents.

The central criminal court's chief investigating magistrate, Zuhair al-Maliky, said the authorities had given him no reason for his dismissal, which came after repeated clashes with state security agencies over arbitrary arrests and other suspected abuses.

But the judge insisted he was unrepentant about his crusade for due process by the security services.

"Nobody is above the law," he told AFP.

"That's the mistake Saddam (Hussein) made. When he made some people above the law... that was the disaster for Iraqi society."

Ironically, it was the US-led coalition that originally tasked Maliky with investigating alleged abuses by Iraq's fledgling security apparatus.

A former US official confirmed he had been charged with probing alleged bribery and brutality by members of the police major crimes unit, back in April, two months before the caretaker government took power.

"There was a lot of cases of torture, illegal detention and corruption," recalled Maliky, adding that his investigation resulted in the arrest or conviction of at least 20 policemen.

Five of the cases involved the use of electric shock on detainees, leaving one man partially paralyzed, he added.

But once Iraq regained its sovereignty in June, his investigation ground to a halt as the insurgency grew and the government put a premium on restoring security.

"Before the transfer of power, they were obedient. Now, they've stopped obeying court orders," Maliky complained, pointing to 10 policemen with outstanding charges who had refused to obey court summons.

He charged that US support for his campaign had also waned as attacks on coalition troops intensified.

"I don't really speak with the Americans since the transfer of sovereignty. They seem more concerned with fighting the war than rebuilding the country," he said.

The US embassy declined to comment, saying the Iraqi justice system was a matter for the government. The interior ministry also declined to respond to the allegations.

Maliky again locked horns with the security services in September after the major crimes unit and agents from Iraq's new national intelligence service arrested 52 people at the Baghdad headquarters of Hezbollah, a faction of a mainstream Shiite religious party which has representatives in the interim government.

The judge ordered their release, saying the interior ministry had failed to obtain a proper warrant or bring the suspects before a court.

But the intelligence service simply secured broader powers, with its own special judges authorized to issue arrest warrants, its chief Mohammed al-Shahwani confirmed.

Maliky said the unprecedented move was a clear violation of the US-drafted order which established the spy service in April and defined its role strictly as an information gatherer.

However Shahwani defended it, saying: "We do everything legally ... I have no agenda, I work only for this flag."

The major crimes unit is now holding up to 10 individuals for Shahwani, on the basis of a clause in Saddam's old penal code dealing with enemies of the state, Maliky said.

A further 50 suspects are being held without charge by the unit, he added.

The Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq confirmed the arrest of the 52 Hezbollah members and charged that they had also been tortured in what it described as an unacceptable breach of the interim constitution.

"We cannot anywhere accept this behavior," party leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim told AFP. "There is a (basic) law to rule the state in the transitional period. Human rights must be respected."

The Islamic Party, a leading Sunni religious faction, agreed that the interim constitution was being increasingly violated in the battle against insurgents.

"(A) simple example is that according to that very law, no citizen should be arrested unless an arrest warrant is issued, which is something not happening in most of the cases, if at all," party spokesman Iyad al-Samarrai told AFP.

New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch said it shared many of the concerns expressed, particularly over the major crimes unit.

"We have received information about the torture and ill-treatment of detainees for the purpose of extracting confessions," the watchdog's Baghdad representative Hania Mufti said.

"The (interim constitution) contains a bill of rights that sets out basic human rights safeguards. Some of them are not being met."

Interior Minister Falah Naquib acknowledged before parliament Monday that there had been cases of arbitrary detention but said his government was trying to stamp them out.

"There were mistakes in arresting some people without a warrant according to the law and we will work hard to stop it," he told MPs.

---

CommonDreams
same shit, different day

Dont expect anything there.

Afganistan's "terrorist" activity has gone up since the "Election"...

It is going to be a long bumpy road and the wheels might fall off before we get there.

Quote:

---

Maliky again locked horns with the security services in September after the major crimes unit and agents from Iraq's new national intelligence service arrested 52 people at the Baghdad headquarters of Hezbollah, a faction of a mainstream Shiite religious party which has representatives in the interim government.

The judge ordered their release, saying the interior ministry had failed to obtain a proper warrant or bring the suspects before a court.

---

We all know what Hezbollah represents. We are at war folks, you must raise your level of suspicion. I cannot imagine letting these people go because the proper paperwork is not in order, only to find them detonating a suicide bomb later that day.

Peacetime and wartime security operations are a wee bit different.

Anyway, I remember when this forum condemned the US when it considered "martial law" in Iraq. It was never put in place, but no one has even managed to point that out. We could certainly cut down on attacks, but at what price to the civilians. Just a little balance for you.

Same hit, different day, would pretty much characterize your posts Ruthie. We got your point like 15 threads ago, you have you own website to wallow in the fact that Bush is an idiot,Bush talks to God, Bush is the mastermind behind a global conspiracy and republicans hate lesbians.

Is there anything else you want to talk about or do you just want to feed us your propaganda.

We could have J2 and Frank the Tank copy and paste their biased Bush articles and we would soon have a new name for our like forum:

"The Political Propaganda Copy and Paste Club".

This forum should contain an authors interpretation of an article and a link, it puts the burden of effort on the poster and not the reader.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hobbes

We all know what Hezbollah represents. We are at war folks, you must raise your level of suspicion. I cannot imagine letting these people go because the proper paperwork is not in order, only to find them detonating a suicide bomb later that day.

Peacetime and wartime security operations are a wee bit different.

Anyway, I remember when this forum condemned the US when it considered "martial law" in Iraq. It was never put in place, but no one has even managed to point that out. We could certainly cut down on attacks, but at what price to the civilians. Just a little balance for you.

Same hit, different day, would pretty much characterize your posts Ruthie. We got your point like 15 threads ago, you have you own website to wallow in the fact that Bush is an idiot,Bush talks to God, Bush is the mastermind behind a global conspiracy and republicans hate lesbians.

Is there anything else you want to talk about or do you just want to feed us your propaganda.

We could have J2 and Frank the Tank copy and paste their biased Bush articles and we would soon have a new name for our like forum:

"The Political Propaganda Copy and Paste Club".

This forum should contain an authors interpretation of an article and a link, it puts the burden of effort on the poster and not the reader.

---

someone's not a happy camper. ROFL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hobbes

We all know what Hezbollah represents. We are at war folks, you must raise your level of suspicion. I cannot imagine letting these people go because the proper paperwork is not in order, only to find them detonating a suicide bomb later that day.

---

Then why did we put them in power?

The article says that they are part of the Government there... lets make our minds up here. :unsure:

Hobbes

I may be wrong here but I think Hezbollah means "Party of God". There are Hezbollahs in most Islamic countries. I think you might be confusing them with the Syrian based Palestinian group which is rather more forceful in its policy delivery.

Or are you simply arguing that there should be no politics in the new Iraq based on the ethnic faiths of the various regions? If achieveable, I could see the merit in it - but somehow I suspect we are simply encouraging the opposite. Nothing is as attractive as that which has barriers put in its way.

This has to do with the overall theme of political propaganda. How many times must you post the same stuff? The articles have one intent and are written without any attempt at balance or to even offer any context as to what this means "big picture".

The flu vaccine, the people delivering fuel, this article-they all have the same intent. They want the reader, by extrapolation, to place the blame on Bush. Bush hates his own soldiers, Bush wants people to die of the Flu, Bush wants to torture innocent Iraqi's. It's the innuendo game.

I will be voting for Kerry, but I just object to intellectual dishonesty in any form, and I will call it when I see it. Regardless the author, regardless the subject. This is not a post to just Ruthie, I was equally annoyed with the crap posted about Kerry shooting a village boy, in a loin cloth, in the back. The "in the back" and "in a loincloth" was repeated 3or 4 times in the posted article. Different agenda, same bullshit.

For every article Ruthie puts here, the opposite side could post one of their own. "Copy and paste" club is a pointless and lazy place to be.

I think I have been here a year and a half or so and I cannot remember ever having done so. I may have, but I cannot recall. I speak my opinions, in my words and support it with my interpretation of the evidence. I attempt to address both sides of a particular discussion.

What is the point of posting otherwise?

Quote:

---

Same hit, different day, would pretty much characterize your posts Ruthie. We got your point like 15 threads ago, you have you own website to wallow in the fact that Bush is an idiot,Bush talks to God, Bush is the mastermind behind a global conspiracy and republicans hate lesbians.

---

I got a suggestion hobbes, if you don't like what ruthie posts, don't read it.

The purpose of posting is to have a discussion of topics that interest you. If no one else is interested, then no one will reply. If all you want to do is blast ruthie, see my suggestion to you above.

Personally, I'm sick of so-called liberals who roll over and play dead in the interest of "balance" when this administration has lied about almost everything since and including the election and has gone out of their way to benefit their buddies, even if it means screwing the average American. I'm sick of "liberals" talking about bias and running the "Well, you may have a point there" in the interest of "balance". This administration has no points, no balance. Bush is not an American president, but a Republican, fanatical, evangelical Christian president.

We get emails and newsletters from RightMarch and Falwell as well as Moveon, we read the Weekly Standard and Newsmax as well as Common Dreams, the DNC and John Kerry as well as Bush and the RNC. I'm even a Bush/Cheney Team Leader and a member of Protest Warriors. I can't understand why anyone would vote for Bush. I don't get why he hasn't been run out of DC with his whole crew. I would love to see the "other side" come back with some articles refuting the ones ruthie has posted. I'd love someone to post articles supporting Bush. Everything I've read is too easily shot full of holes.

There is no intellectual dishonesty. The bottom line is that Bush doesn't give a rats ass about anybody but Bush and his sector of the society. Guess what? Kerry didn't shoot a boy in the back, it was a lie. These articles aren't lies. These articles point out how much Bush doesn't give a damn, or if he does, he's totally misguided.

These articles happen to piss us off. The crap thats going on because of Bush, his policies, executive orders, and his cabinet and appointees happens to piss us off. We think it should piss everybody off, but rather than get pissed off some people make excuses. Some people don't even know where to find information pertinent to the "debate" and don't bother looking.

Like i said, if you don't like it, don't read it. If you're waiting for ruthie (or me) to post something that portrays Bush in a favorable light, don't hold your breath. Frankly, theres very little that can stand the test of scrutiny.

:01: :01:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scroff

Bush is not an American president, but a Republican, fanatical, evangelical Christian president.

We get emails and newsletters from .......Falwell.....

---

Does anyone else find the humour in this?

One of my favorite quotes from Falwell: "I listen to feminists and all these radical gals... These women just need a man in the house. That's all they need. Most of the feminists need a man to tell them what time of day it is and to lead them home."

If you don't like my posts which point out the skewed nature of your wifes post, then don't read them.

I confront biased articles when I see them and will continue to do so.

If you can't see your own intellectual dishonesty, then you have your head buried in the sand just as much as the republicans.

I don't consider myself liberal or conservative. I just read what is posted and address my comments to the quality of the article. If I think it lacks balance, I will point that out.

Your comments about Bush are a bit over the top, almost fanatical. I have no prayer or interest in changing your mind. I just post so that other readers may more critically analyze what they are being spoon-fed as "truth".

As you know, I will not be voting for Bush, so you might have to wonder what my motivation is? My motivation is truth over propaganda.

You don't like it, I don't care. You don't have to read my posts, as before.

Note: I already objected Manny's post on voter intimidation the Drudge report he sited was misleading. That is called balance. I did not post in his thread as he had already be thoroughly called out and I saw no reason to pile on.

No one needs to read anyones posts...

Quoting Articles and putting the source though, well i cant see whats wrong with that.

Its certainly something I do.. often :blink:

It allows people to see the source, and then decide for themselves wether THEY put any faith in that source..

You know Hobbes that many people that post here (includiing myself on occasion) are just too damn lazy or havent the time to search for stuff.

I make no bones about my opinion of Bush, its probably as negative as anyones on this board. I also have stated often that I think Kerry, whilst preferable, is still a crap candidate.

I will continue stating my opinion, and i hope others will continue to state theirs.. whether for or against my own. I, for one, have changed my stance on some issues, due to "Copy and Pastes" with a source included... although granted, not on any major issues that concern myself personally.

Quote:

---

If you can't see your own intellectual dishonesty, then you have your head buried in the sand just as much as the republicans.

I don't consider myself liberal or conservative. I just read what is posted and address my comments to the quality of the article. If I think it lacks balance, I will point that out.

Your comments about Bush are a bit over the top, almost fanatical

---

My head in the sand? In my not so humble opinion, it is you who has the head in the sand, especially if you think those comments were over the top, there's obviously alot you're missing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scroff

My head in the sand? In my not so humble opinion, it is you who has the head in the sand, especially if you think those comments were over the top, there's obviously alot you're missing.

---

If you really think that the articles you post here and on your web-site could not be more objectively presented to evaluate a subject from both perspectives, then you probably think that Michael Moore directs documentaries. Your articles are much like his movies. It is not what they say that is an overt lie, it is the context that they omit which makes them a deception.

I don't go to your website and attempt to cause a ruckus. I don't send you nasty E-mails, I let you enjoy your cyberspace. When you come here and methodically spam our forum with your agenda, that is when I will eventually say, "enough is enough". We know your link, you've made you point. Post about something else.

That is not such an unreasonable thing, is it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hobbes

I don't go to your website and attempt to cause a ruckus. I don't send you nasty E-mails, I let you enjoy your cyberspace. When you come here and methodically spam our forum with your agenda, that is when I will eventually say, "enough is enough". We know your link, you've made you point. Post about something else.

That is not such an unreasonable thing, is it?

---

I will also briefly address this, Hobbes, and then, at least I, will put it to rest.
No, you don't send us nasty emails, and we don't send out nasty emails. I do not think we "spam" this forum. I just went back through quite a few pages in this topic area,and I see many threads started about Bush (not by either of us) and the state of affairs in this country, as well as threads having to do with other subject areas. I do not look at this forum in an "us vs. them" type of place, and I don't think I have behaved in anyway to suggest such a thing. Do you? Unfortunately, world events are what they are today, and it is news. The news just has not been good. I have no problem being involved with discussions other then political..for instance, discussing issues at schools and parental rights. I say again..enough.

My apologies to other members of this forum for having to read these types of back and forth posts again and again. I will not discuss it further Hobbes, as I feel no need to "defend" myself, as I have only participated with my own views, and sources of info. If you have a problem with it, well then it's your problem. That's it.

I just call as I see 'em. You have 7 topics on this front page about essentially the same topic- Bush. And I apologise to no one because I was just expressing myself honestly.

Anyway, it is done, I too am ready to move on to fresh ground. I don't find it useful to hold grudges or cling to past disagreements.