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Impunity

Doctrines Of Impunity: John Bolton And The ICC

September 17, 2018 Binoy Kampmark, Dissidentvoice.org , , ,
The Trump administration’s national security advisor John Bolton has never been a fan of international law, a concept he has found, at best, rubbery.  Any institution supposedly guided by its spirit was bound to draw the ire of both his temper and temperament.  Before members of the Federalist Society on Monday, Bolton took to the pulpit with a fury reserved for the unreflective patriot certain that his country, right or wrong, was above such matters.  “The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court.” The wicked body, in this instance, is the International Criminal Court, established by the Rome Statute to try instances of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, a “court of last resort” backed by 123 nations.

Ending Impunity With Truth: Oaxaca Uncovers Massive State Abuse

March 1, 2016 Staff, www.telesurtv.net , , ,
By Staff of Tele Sur - Under the banner of “Now we know!” the Truth Commission report seeks to uncover “historic truth” and calls for an end to impunity in Oaxaca. The Mexican state committed “massive and systematic” human rights abuses in the southwestern state of Oaxaca in 2006 and 2007, including extrajudicial killings and possible crimes against humanity, according to the final report of the Oaxaca Truth Commission released on Monday.

Guatemalan Congress Votes To Allow Investigation Of President

September 2, 2015 Associated Press, www.theguardian.com , , , ,
By Associated Press in The Guardian - Guatemalan civilians who support the ousting of President Otto Pérez Molina have formed a wall of bodies to let lawmakers into Congress, protecting them from presidential loyalists trying to prevent a vote on withdrawing the leader’s immunity from prosecution in a corruption scandal. Dozens of Pérez Molina backers had blocked access to the capitol since the morning in an attempt to delay the proceedings, which are similar to impeachment and could lead to criminal charges. The interior department vice-minister Elmer Sosa also arrived with riot police to “guarantee the safety of protesters and congress”, and lawmakers were finally able to go inside. “It was impressive that the people themselves came and created a human chain and a path so we could enter,” said opposition legislator Leonel Lira.

No Indictment In Madison Police Killing Of Tony Robinson

May 13, 2015 Zoe Sullivan and Oliver Laughland, www.theguardian.com , , , ,
The white officer who shot dead biracial 19 year-old Tony Robinson in Madison,Wisconsin will not face criminal charges it was announced on Tuesday, more than 10 weeks since the teenager’s death. Following an inquiry by Wisconsin’s state division of criminal investigation [DCI], the Dane County district attorney Ismael Ozanne declined to prosecute Madison police officer Matt Kenny, who responded to a number of 911 calls on6 March reporting Robinson was acting erratically and had allegedly assaulted at least one person in the street outside his shared apartment. At a packed press conference, Ozanne delivered a detailed description of Kenny’s fatal encounter with Robinson, drawing from the officer’s account and dashcam footage from Kenny’s patrol car.

Civil Resistance & The Geopolitics Of Impunity

May 11, 2015 Baltasar Garzón, www.opendemocracy.net , , , , , ,
The first of these cases is probably the most unsavoury, and we have more than enough examples worldwide, especially in Latin America (Chile, Argentina, Perú, El Salvador, etc.). Here, the perpetrators employ relevant institutional powers to forge a renewed ‘democratic’ structure, in which they receive a guarantee of legal impunity for previous criminal activities justified by a misguided concept of national security and stability. Such is the case of the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Despite the gradual democratisation signalled by the 1988 national referendum to remove him from power, he clung to his position as head of state for a further two years, and his subsequent appointment as a senator for life took place and was previously sanctioned under the terms of decree no. 2191 in 1978.

Flowers Are Better Than Bullets

May 8, 2015 Laurel Krause, www.mendocoastcurrent.wordpress.com , , ,
Even today, 45 years later, a culture of impunity persists. We read the news and see law enforcement killing young African Americans across the country. Those of us who witnessed Kent State have to ask whether things might have been different if this era of brutal suppression of political protest had resulted in accountability. I see echoes of Kent State when I read that Mike Brown’s family has to file a civil lawsuit because there will be no criminal accountability for his killing. This is the legacy of past impunity and it saddens me greatly to see it continue. There is an important legal distinction to be made as we pursue accountability for the killings. Because the statute of limitations for civil rights expires quickly, survivors and stakeholders have a time limit in seeking justice when our loved ones are murdered by US law enforcement and the US government.

5 Things Everyone Needs To Know About Baltimore

April 29, 2015 Michael Arria, www.alternet.org , , , , ,
Freddie Gray's family says 80% of his spine was severed and his voice box was crushed. It's believed that Gray was the victim of a "nickel ride," a purposely rough ride designed to dole out "street justice" to suspects. As David Graham wrote in the Atlantic, "Once Gray was in the van, he was handcuffed. Apparently because he was "irate" during the ride, officers stopped and shackled his legs, too. The one thing they didn't do was buckle his seat belt. Not only does that sound like common sense, it's also department policy—and BPD admits it was violated." While news cameras have descended upon the city of Baltimore and knee-jerk analysis is being offered around the clock, it's important to keep some things in mind. Lieutenant Brian Rice. Sgt. Alicia White, Officer Caesar Goodson, Officer William Porter, Officer Garrett Miller, and Officer Edward Nero have been suspended until the investigation concludes, but will continue to earn their salaries.

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