Video: prisoner abuse / Abuso de prisioneiros

President Barack Obama's veto to the disclosure of torture pictures by CIA men was a big mistake, just as big as protecting those who practised torture. One day or another, they'll come up, and then, he'll find himself at the wrong side of the issue.

Allowing truth to be revealed would not cause unrest among muslims towards his person, once he was not the one in charge. This video, showing british military screaming and mistreating a prisoner, who died afterwards, was not expected to leak, but here it is...

The fact, mr. President, is that torture is crime, under any circumstances, and no authority, not even - or specially - the President, can legally order any public worker, military or civilian, to break the law, the highest of all laws, the US Constitution.

O presidente Barack Obama cometeu um erro ao vetar a reveleção das fotos de agentes da CIA praticando tortura, tão grande quanto proteger os adeptos do waterboarding, a deplorável técnica de simulação de afogamento. Mais dias, menos dia, elas aparecerão, como este vídeo, e ele descobrirá que estava do lado errado.

Permitir a revelação da verdade não causaria desconforto aos muçulmanos em relação à sua pessoa, pois ele não estava no comando do país então. Este vídeo, mostrando soldados britânicos gritando, maltratando e humilhando um prisioneiro, que morreu depois, sob a custódia deles, não deveria ter vazado, mas...

O fato, sr. presidente, é que tortura é crime, sob quaisquer circunstâncias, e nenhuma autoridade, nem mesmo, ou muito menos, o presidente, pode legalmente ordenar a funcionários públicos, civis ou miliatares, que violem a lei, a maior de todas as leis, a Constituição dos EUA. No interrogatório, o iraquiano Baha Mousa é obrigado a dançar como Michael Jackson, os soldados gritam e o humilham. Ele morreu, aos 26 anos, em setembro de 2003, sob custódia do Regimento Lancashire, em Basra, Iraque. Era recepcionista.

Um inquérito público foi aberto para apurar a morte e técnicas de "amaciamento" de prisioneiros do Exército Britânico. No processo consta que os ferimentos infligidos a Mousa podem tê-lo sido com "maior grau de deliberação" do que havia sido planejado.

O filme mostra o cabo Donald Payne, ex-integrante do Regimento Lancashire, gritando e xingando os iraquianos, obrigados a permanecer em "posições dolorosamente estressantes."

Gerard Elias, QC (Queen's Counselor) promotor do inquérito, disse: "mesmo que se considere apenas o video a que acabamos de assistir, pode-se pensar que estes presos parecem ter sido submetidos a posições estressantes e mantidos encapuzados por um tempo prolongado."

Elias disse que os detentos afimaram ter os abusos se inicado logo após sua prisão, pelas tropas britânicas, no Hotel Ibn Al Haitham.

É claro que isto não se deu no ponto de captura, não enquanto os prisioneiros estavam em trânsito, mas quando em um prédio fechado - ou relativamente fechado - no BG principal (a base para onde foram levados), com soldados guardando-os para evitar que escapassem."

E acrescentou: "Alguns deles alegam que eles e Baha Mousa foram pisoteados quando foram obrigados a se deitar sobre o chão do lobby". Alguns presos dizem ter sido chutados pelas tropas, que urinaram neles e os obrigaram a deitar com o rosto voltado para um buraco no chão cheio de excrementos".

Os detentos foram ancapuzados com sacos de areia, colocados em posições de estresse, submetidos a gritos.

Há também evidências de que não foram adequadamente alimentados nem hidratados. Alguns disseram ter tido as mãos queimadas com água escaldante.

E concluiu: "Havia gritos, lamentos, e até gritos de socorro vindo do TDF (Unidade de detenção temporária) de tempos em tempos, segundo testemunhas".

Baha Mousa inquiry: British soldiers 'made prisoners scream and dance'

British soldiers made Iraqi prisoners scream in an "orchestrated choir" and forced one to dance like Michael Jackson, an inquiry into the death of Iraqi receptionist Baha Mousa has heard. Mr Mousa, 26, died while in the custody of the former Queen's Lancashire Regiment in Basra, southern Iraq, in September 2003.

A wide-ranging public inquiry into his death and the British Army's use of so-called conditioning techniques to "soften up" prisoners for interrogation got under way on Monday.

The inquiry heard that Mr Mousa's injuries may have been inflicted "with a greater degree of deliberation" than was previously thought.

A video of a British soldier screaming abuse at the hooded detainees was played to the hearing in London.

The film showed Corporal Donald Payne, formerly of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, shouting and swearing at the moaning Iraqis as they were forced to maintain painful "stress positions".

Gerard Elias QC, counsel to the inquiry, said: "Even if one considers only the video that we have just looked at, it may be thought to be entirely apparent that these detainees were being subjected to stress positions and prolonged hooding."

"Of course this was not at the point of capture, not while the detainees were in transit, but when they were in an enclosed - or relatively enclosed - building at BG Main (the base where detainees were taken) with soldiers to guard them to prevent escape."

Mr Elias said the detainees claimed the abuse started almost immediately after they were arrested by British troops at the Ibn Al Haitham hotel.

He said: "Some of them allege that they and Baha Mousa were stepped on when they were made to lie on the floor of the lobby."

Some detainees claimed they were urinated on and forced to lie face down over a hole in the ground filled with excrement, he said.

One of them claimed they were kicked by troops while being transferred to their detention base, where they were imprisoned in a small building for 48 hours.

Mr Elias said: "The detainees were hooded with hessian sandbags, they were placed in stress positions, they were subjected to shouting. There was also evidence that they were not fed or watered properly."

Some said their hands were burned with scalding water".

Detailing other abuses, Mr Elias said: "One man says he was made to dance in the style of Michael Jackson."

He added: "There was shouting, moaning, even screaming coming from the TDF (temporary detention facility) from time to time during the detention, according to some witnesses.