Germany uses foreign torture intel, report says
Published: 29 Jun 10 08:01 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100629-28165.html
Germany, along with Britain and France, uses foreign intelligence obtained through torture in the fight against terrorism, a new report from Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
- Pesticides kill more river life than was thought (18 Jun 13)
- Germany welcomes new Iranian president (16 Jun 13)
- Germany calls Turkish crackdown 'disturbing' (12 Jun 13)
The use by three heavyweight European powers of information from secret services in countries that routinely rely on torture was damaging the reputation of the entire European Union, said the rights group.
"Berlin, Paris and London should be working to eradicate torture, not relying on foreign torture intelligence," said Judith Sunderland, Western Europe researcher for HRW.
"Taking information from torturers is illegal and just plain wrong."
The report, entitled "No Questions Asked: Intelligence Cooperation with Countries that Torture," found that , "The actual practices of these leading EU states contradict the EU's anti-torture guidelines, which make eradicating torture and ill-treatment a priority in its relations with other countries.”
The use of such intelligence obtained under questionable circumstances "damages the credibility of the European Union," added HRW.
Intelligence services in the three countries lack detailed instructions on how to assess and respond to information from countries that torture, said the rights group.
Torture-tainted information has been used in criminal proceedings in France and Germany, despite domestic and international rules banning the use of such evidence in proceedings, said HRW.
"France, Germany, and the UK can engage in necessary intelligence cooperation without undermining the global torture ban," said the rights group.
"To do so, they must make genuine inquiries of countries that provide information to determine whether torture was used to obtain it."
AFP (news@thelocal.de)
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Attacking Obama 'shows European weakness'
German outrage at the US President has peaked as Barack Obama is due in Berlin. But accusing him of Stasi methods over the surveillance scandal borders on defamation, argues Malte Lehming in political magazine Cicero. READ () »
Storms to replace heat wave by Thursday
Germany might be in the throws of a flash heat wave, but don't ditch jumpers and socks just yet - storms, hail and heavy rain are on their way, national weather service the DWD said on Tuesday. READ () »
Probe after abuse claims at private kids' homes
German authorities are investigating allegations of serious and systematic abuse at privately run homes for troubled children. Politicians are calling for the children to be removed but the firm denies any wrongdoing. READ () »
Germans lose interest in voting as election looms
Germans are losing their appetite for elections more dramatically than any other western democracy bar Portugal, as disillusionment with politicians the main cause, a study released on Tuesday suggested. READ () »
Deutsche Bahn fires staff in corruption clean-up
Deutsche Bahn has fired more than 30 managers who were involved in bribery - and is withdrawing from a slew of countries where corruption is rife. READ () »
Pesticides kill more river life than was thought
Pesticides may kill off water insects and other small aquatic life by as much as 42 percent, according to an analysis of German, French and Australian rivers and streams, published on Monday. READ () »
Merkel: I'll tackle Obama on surveillance
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will tackle US President Barack Obama on the scale of American online surveillance, and call for "transparency" on its scope as she hosts him in Berlin this week. READ () »
Mine of Rammelsberg and Goslar town
As the summer holidays approach, The Local is touring Germany's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today we visit the historic mine of Rammelsberg and town of Goslar. READ () »
- 18/06 Storms to replace heat wave by Thursday »
- 18/06 Deutsche Bahn fires staff in corruption clean-up »
- 18/06 Mine of Rammelsberg and Goslar town »
- 17/06 Assad: Europe will 'pay price' if it arms rebels »
- 17/06 Engineers sink barges to plug bust dyke »
- 17/06 Merkel: Turkish response to Gezi 'much too harsh' »
- 17/06 Merkel remembers East German uprising »
- 16/06 Greens' Roth sees Turkish violence live »
- 16/06 Friedrich calls for tougher travel controls »
- 16/06 Europe's largest gay festival held in Berlin »
- 18/06 Why France needs a total ban on smacking kids »
- 18/06 Concerns mount as Lourdes flood waters rise »
More news from France at thelocal.fr
- 18/06 American tourist dies in Arctic cruise mishap »
- 18/06 Norwegian apologizes for long-haul flight service »
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
More news from Sweden at thelocal.se
- 18/06 Basel striker bound for German transfer: reports »
- 18/06 Students trash Zurich high school in 'prank' »
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
See all ads | Join the Marketplace
-
PsyShrink Frankfurt
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide -
PsyShrink Munich
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide -
Chambervelt Rooselain & Cie Ltd.
Insurance and financial planning for English speakers in Germany -
British Corner Shop
British Corner Shop - The online supermarket for expats
818 jobs available
559 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today
- EH&S Specialist Europe (m/f)
- Aerodynamic / CFD Engineer for Turbocharger Turbines (m/f)
- HR Business Partner (m/f) - HR Global Services
- Global Head of Sales
- Inside Sales Account Manager
- Sales Manager
- Intern (f/m) - Linde Engineering Communications
- Payroll Professional (M/F)
- Executive Assistant (m/f)
- Project Quality Manager (m/f)
- Apr/09 Touring Tempelhof – Europe’s Largest Historical Monument
- Apr/09 Spring in Berlin 2013 – Where, What Why and When!
- Mar/12 Living Like a Local – Tell us what you think and win a weekend in Berlin!
- Feb/04 Escaping the City – Our Recommended Suburban Getaways
- Feb/04 Berlin Tegel Airport Transfers – How to get into the City
Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your
style? Find a German sweetheart here.
Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather
section.
Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.
Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of
charge.
Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
- More Space, More Art – The “New” Lenbachhaus in Munich
Following a long period of restoration work that included an extension, the year 2013 has seen the reopening of the Lenbachhaus in Munich. - By Way of a Detour – Germany at the Biennale in Venice
For decades now it has been considered to be in the best possible taste at the Biennale to call the competition among the nations into question. - “The Monetary Union is Driving the Countries of Europe Apart” – Four Questions for Wolfgang Streeck
The euro is in crisis, a crisis that some say threatens to break up the European Union itself.... - Antigone as a Comic – Detlev Baur on the first theatre magazine for young people
Since 2007 the the youth magazine Junge Bühne has appeared annually. - “Racism is a violation of human rights” – An Interview with Selmin Çalışkan
Police violence, discrimination, the plight of refugees – human rights violations also happen in Germany, says Amnesty International.
- Germany's Guerilla Knitters
A tree in a sweater? A statue wearing mittens? A sign post with a scarf? Guerilla knitters are brightening urban spaces in Germany with a new kind of graffiti. - The Best of Germany: Städelschule
At the heart of Frankfurt’s art scene is a school that has attracted many international art students to Germany. The Städelschule has a reputation for a high level of instruction and for nurturing students working at the forefront of conceptual and experimental contemporary art. - US President Obama in Germany
The American President Barack Obama visits Berlin. - Hollywood Stars Filming in Germany
Hollywood stars such as George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Oscar award-winner Geoffrey Rush are making films in and around Potsdam. - Design Festival in Berlin
Creative young designers from around the world showcase their work at the DMY International Design Festival at Berlin’s former Tempelhof airport.
- Keeping an eye on Europe’s values
Jan-Werner Müller, Professor in Princeton, on Hungary as an EU member state. - E-Government
The internet makes it possible: No more waiting in line at government offices, state services around the clock! - GovApps – the town hall on the mobile Internet
The Federal Government’s new public service GovApps provides a guide for public apps. - Paths to the future
In difficult times the European Union is seeking paths out of the crisis.
- Consultant (m/f) for SAP Authorization Governance
- Design Engineer Aerospace in Toulouse
- Design Feasibility Engineer / Craftsmanship Engineer (m/f)
- Exterior Designer (m/f)
- Projekt Cost Controller (m/f) for Plant Engineering Projects
- Strategic Project Junior Manager (f/m)
- (Senior) Consultant SAP R/3 Sales and Distribution (f/m)
- (Senior) Manager IT Supply Chain Solutions (m/f)
- account executive / sales person (m/f)
- Administrative Assistant (f/m)
- 06:03 New in Munich (or new to this forum)
- 04:35 Paperwork after a marriage (U.S./German couple)
- 04:27 Salary expectations for software tester
- 03:34 Recommend a new TV
- 00:24 Safe days during menstrual cycle
- 00:21 Police Report (Anzeige) filed against me
- 00:17 Tell us your "Airplane roulette" stories
- 00:10 Used Car (Gebrauchtwagen) problems
- 00:07 Hayfever
- 00:07 Representing myself in court
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Your comments about this article:
Go ahead and play nice Europeans, then when your soldiers get their butt kicked or civiliand get blown up in your cities, who are you going to blame?
Something tells me that those maniacs don't just come clean with valuable info when asked polietly.
However, in the movie Resevoir Dogs, Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn) says
"You beat on this (guy) enough, he'll tell you he started the Chicago fire. That don't necessarily make it so!"
I do think there is some truth to that.
I'm also interested in reading their comments on how the countries named in the article are not bound by the Geneva Conventions' prohibition of torture. I suspect their arguments will be a creative as they will be inflammatory.
May you live in interesting times.
99.99% of the time, no form of torture is necessary to get the info. that the good guys need.
.01 % of the time, some form of torture is necessary to crack an idiot who would rather kill 200 innocent kids than provide any information. If it didn't work, no one would use it.
Get out of your playpens and into the real world. These fundamentalist Muslim nuts are coming to spread their fundamentalism, regardless of whether you have soldiers overseas or not. You can either use every tool available to you to defeat them, or you can play the moral dummy and risk watching the next hijacked airplane land in the Marienplatz. Your choice.