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September 5, 2008 6:19:17 PM CDT

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Waterboarding Violates UN Torture Law

Posted Feb 8, 08 11:30 PM CST in Crime & Courts,  World 

(Newser) – A top UN official said today that CIA waterboarding constitutes a war crime, but she stopped short of accusing Washington directly. "I would have no problems with describing this practice as falling under the prohibition of torture," Louise Arbour said. Her comment comes days after CIA chief Michael Hayden admitted that operatives have used the practice on terror suspects, Reuters reports.

Nations can try war crime suspects from other countries under the "universal jurisdiction" rule of a UN torture ban, Arbour said in Mexico City. "There are several precedents worldwide of states exercising their universal jurisdiction to enforce the torture convention," she said. "We can only hope that we will see more and more of these avenues of redress."

Source Reuters

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Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, left, talks with CIA Director Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008, prior to testifying before the House Intelligence...   (Associated Press)
Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, of Canada, speaks during a press conference in Mexico City, Friday, Feb. 8, 2008. Arbour, the UN's top human rights commissioner, said...   (Associated Press)
High Commissioner Louise Arbour speaks during a special session of the Human Rights Council concerning the request of the Group of Arab States and the Group of the Organization of Islamic Conference to...   (Associated Press)
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War on Terror  • torture  • waterboarding  • war crimes  • Michael Hayden  • UN Commission on Human Rights


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