JAKARTA – The US District Court in Virgia made history on Monday, when they began hearing a lawsuit by a number of former Iraqi Abu Ghraib Prison detainees against an American contractor regarding involvement in torture and illegal acts during detention.
Suhail Al Shimari, Asa’ad Zuba’e and Salah Al Ejaili, who were released without charge from Abu Ghraib in 2004, are seeking compensation.
The case accuses contractors employed by CACI Premier Technology of torturing and ill-treating them during their detention.
This is the first time that the cases of those alleged to be victims of torture in the US can be tried in American courts.
“This case is part of our efforts to bring accountability for torture and other serious violations of international law arising from the so-called war on terror and the invasion of Iraq,” said the Center for Constitutional Rights, whose legal team represents the plaintiffs in a statement, reported by The National News on April 16.
“Our client was an Iraqi civilian who was ultimately released without ever being charged with a crime,” he continued.
“They all continue to suffer physical and mental injuries as a result of the torture and other abuse they experienced,” he stressed.
The lawsuit claims CACI employees, who were hired by the US military to provide interrogation services, took part in illegal practices including torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and intentional infliction of emotional distress, CCR said.
The agency also said CACI has tried to get the case dismissed more than 20 times in the last 16 years.
The Virginia-based contractor has denied any wrongdoing, according to the Associated Press, stressing its employees are not accused of harassment against any of the plaintiffs in the case.
Meanwhile, National has contacted CACI for further comment.
It is known that the case was first filed in 2008 and comes 20 years after the first images of the horrors of Abu Ghraib, where the US military held thousands of prisoners after the invasion of Iraq began in 2003, were first released.
CBS News was the first to share photos of US soldiers abusing prisoners in their prisons.
In a more recognizable image, a robed prisoner connected to an electrical cable stands on a box, while in another, naked prisoners are stacked on top of each other while US soldiers smile at the camera.
Although several low-ranking soldiers were indicted in military tribunals following the incident at Abu Ghraib, no US military leader, politician, official or private contractor has ever been held accountable.
This lawsuit was filed under the Alien Tort Act, which gives federal courts jurisdiction over lawsuits brought by foreign nationals for acts committed in violation of international law.
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
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