[mobglob-discuss] Update on Bush torture legal action

[Bella]

Court date to be set for Torture Charges against Bush
Thursday, December 2, 2004

Lawyers against the War applied today to have the torture charges against
George Bush  set before a judge to determine whether a summons or warrant
should issue.   A date will be set in BC Provincial Court, Criminal
Division, at Vancouver on Monday December 6th 2004.

Torture charges against Bush were laid November 30th 2004 by Gail
Davidson, co-chair of Lawyers against the War--LAW, under provisions
enacted pursuant to the U.N. Convention against Torture, ratified by
Canada in 1987 and the United States in 1994.  The charges concern the
well known abuses of prisoners held by US Armed Forces in the Abu Ghraib
prison in Iraq and the Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba.

Because Bush is not a Canadian citizen the consent of the Attorney General
of Canada is required within 8 days in order for the prosecution to
continue.

LAW has requested that Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler review the
evidence upon which the charges are based before deciding whether to
consent to the prosecution.

Canada has a duty under the Convention against Torture to ‘take effective
measures to prevent torture’.



LAW is an international group of jurists and others based in Canada with
members in 14 countries.