HLHR.org
Saturday, March 25, 2023
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES
No Result
View All Result
hlhrorg
No Result
View All Result
Home Important

Massacre of Iraqi citizens by Blackwater contractors

Massacre of Iraqi citizens by Blackwater contractors

October 7, 2021
0
Killing of Iraqi citizens by US military contractors

Human Lives Human Rights: The verdict was the second time a federal jury had found Mr. Slatten, a former sniper, guilty in the high-profile episode that outraged Americans over what many saw as a military mission with no clear strategy.

For a decade, the case against Mr. Slatten and several other contractors has been winding its way through the federal justice system, drawn out across three administrations as American officials sought to make good on their promise to Iraqis that they would bring the men responsible for the killings to justice.

READ ALSO

Recognize the most corrupt and clean governments of the world

Blind assassinations by the MKO in the 1980s

After the shooting, the United States implored its Iraqi allies to trust the American justice system, which, over 10 years, has delivered guilty verdicts, retracted them and yet delivered one again.

Mr. Slatten and three other Blackwater Worldwide contractors had been found guilty of murder in 2014 and faced lengthy prison sentences. But last year, a federal appeals court threw out the verdicts for three of the contractors and ordered a retrial for Mr. Slatten. That retrial resulted in a hung jury after 16 days of deliberation this year.

Recently, a jury found Mr. Slatten, 35, guilty of first-degree murder — a charge that carries a mandatory life sentence — for his role in killing one of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in the Sept. 16, 2007, shooting. Ten women, two men and two children were killed in the shooting, and 18 others were injured, according to the United States attorney’s office for the District of Columbia.

In the first trial, Mr. Slatten was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Three other Blackwater contractors, Dustin L. Heard, Evan S. Liberty and Paul A. Slough, were convicted of voluntary manslaughter and using a machine gun to carry out a violent crime. Because of mandatory sentencing guidelines for machine-gun crimes, they were given 30 years in prison. A fifth contractor, Jeremy Ridgeway, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter before the 2014 trial and cooperated with prosecutors.

Defense lawyers said the contractors were part of a convoy that came under insurgent fire, a claim that prosecutors and witnesses disputed. The machine-gun charges were considered controversial, even within the Justice Department, because the law was created during the crack-cocaine epidemic in an effort to stem the use of military-grade automatic weapons. In addition, automatic weapons are standard among military and security personnel in conflict zones.

In 2017, a federal appeals court ruled that the machine-gun charges and subsequent sentences were “grossly disproportionate to their culpability for using government-issued weapons in a war zone.”

The shooting in Nisour Square forced the US government to reconsider its reliance on contractors in war zones. At the time of the shooting, Blackwater was among the most powerful American security contractors working in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company, which in 2009 changed its name to Xe Services, won more than $1 billion in contracts and provided security services to American diplomats abroad.

Recently, UN human rights experts said that the pardon of four American men by former U.S. President Donald Trump who are convicted of killing Iraqi civilians while working as contractors in 2007 violated U.S. obligations under international law.

Nicholas Slatten was convicted of first-degree murder, while Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were convicted of voluntary and attempted manslaughter, over the incident in which U.S. contractors opened fire in busy traffic in a Baghdad square and killed 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians.

The Geneva Conventions oblige states to hold war criminals accountable for their crimes, even when they act as private security contractors, the U.N. experts said.

“These pardons violate U.S. obligations under international law and more broadly undermine humanitarian law and human rights at a global level.”

By allowing private security contractors to “operate with impunity in armed conflicts”, states will be emboldened to circumvent their obligations under humanitarian law, they said.

The pardons were strongly criticized by many in the United States. General David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, respectively commander of U.S. forces and U.S. ambassador in Iraq at the time of the incident, called Trump’s pardons “hugely damaging, an action that tells the world that Americans abroad can commit the most heinous crimes with impunity”.

“How are these criminals released after they killed 17 innocent people?” Hussein Saheb Nasser, 35, told NBC News by telephone from his home in Baghdad.

The deaths provoked international outrage and raised questions about the use of private security firms in war zones.

Prosecutors said the Blackwater convoy launched an unprovoked attack using sniper fire, machine guns and grenade launchers.

“After years of waiting, the victims finally saw justice served when these men were convicted,” Sarah Holewinski, Washington director at Human Rights Watch.

With those sentences reversed by the stroke of a pen, who will trust the American justice system again?

 

Tags: American justice systemAmericansBlackwater Worldwide contractorsIraqMr. Slatten

Related Posts

Recognize the most corrupt and clean governments of the world
Important

Recognize the most corrupt and clean governments of the world

February 1, 2023
Blind assassinations by the MKO in the 1980s
Important

Blind assassinations by the MKO in the 1980s

January 11, 2023
US forces shot dead a 15 year old, Zainab Essam in Baghdad
Important

US forces shot dead a 15 year old, Zainab Essam in Baghdad

September 23, 2022
The British government, supporter of human rights or violator
IMPACT

The British government, supporter of human rights or violator

August 22, 2022
A review of Anfal massacre
Important

A review of Anfal massacre

August 13, 2022
Attempts for the membership of Human Rights Council and supporting terrorism
Important

Attempts for the membership of Human Rights Council and supporting terrorism

June 25, 2022

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

68 + = 77

POPULAR NEWS

Palestinian detainees cross 100 days of boycotting Israeli courts

Palestinian detainees cross 100 days of boycotting Israeli courts

April 15, 2022
Analysis of Taliban offensive and necessary action

Analysis of Taliban offensive and necessary action

April 11, 2022
Taliban rule accompanied by killings and abuses

Taliban rule accompanied by killings and abuses

April 17, 2022
What was behind the death of Qatar's migrant workers?

What was behind the death of Qatar’s migrant workers?

April 21, 2022
Rights groups demand whereabouts of detained Egyptian journalist

Rights groups demand whereabouts of detained Egyptian journalist

April 24, 2022

EDITOR'S PICK

Metaverse; A virtual identity or dilemma

Metaverse; A virtual identity or dilemma

November 29, 2021

Venezuela charges human rights activists with terrorism, treason

July 5, 2021
Rights groups urge to drop charges, stop deportation and free Julian Assange

Rights groups urge to drop charges, stop deportation and free Julian Assange

October 28, 2021
Looting of Iraq's oil resources

Looting of Iraq’s oil resources

November 16, 2021
HLHR.org

About HLHR

Ours is a familiar story. A group of friends from all over the world have come together to chase the dream many others have chased before and are religiously working to fulfill; a world where human lives and human rights are treasured.

Recent Posts

  • French police brutal with peaceful protesters
  • France24 TV fires journalist for her use of “pro-Palestine” terminology on social media
  • Arbitrary arrests, teargassing and brutal assault of protesters in Mozambique
  • Authorities in Senegal intensify repression ahead of 2024 election
  • UN envoy warns of grave human rights situation in North Korea

Categories

No Result
View All Result

© 2021 HLHR.ORG All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES

© 2021 HLHR.ORG All rights reserved.