US military contractor incurs multi-million dollar fine for torture involvement
A jury has determined that CACI Premier Technology is responsible for the torture of Iraqi prisoners during the US war on terror. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A jury in Virginia has determined that CACI Premier Technology is liable for its involvement in the torture of three Iraqi civilians at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad 20 years ago, during the US invasion of Iraq. The jury awarded the victims a total of $42 million in damages for the inhumane treatment they endured.
On Tuesday, the verdict found CACI Premier Technology Inc "liable for conspiring to torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment" of Suhail Al Shimari, a middle school principal, Asaad Zubae, a fruit vendor, and Salah Al-Ejaili, a journalist, according to a press release from the Center for Constitutional Rights, a non-profit advocacy organization.
The statement highlighted that the victims were detained in the section of Abu Ghraib where the most severe abuses occurred, noting, “along with hundreds of other Iraqis tortured at Abu Ghraib, they have suffered long-standing physical and emotional effects.”
The lawsuit accused CACI of being hired by the US government to "provide interrogation services." They were not the only private contractor involved in the scandal; Titan Corporation, which offered translation services at the prison, also faced accusations of mistreatment.
As a result of the jury's decision, CACI was ordered to pay each of the three men $3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million in punitive damages.
Originally filed in 2008, the lawsuit finally went to trial this April in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, following attempts by CACI to have it dismissed. This verdict follows a mistrial in May when the jury could not reach a unanimous decision.
The abuses at Abu Ghraib, which became public in 2004, highlighted severe human rights violations linked to the US military and CIA in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The media revealed shocking images depicting the torture and humiliation of detainees, many of whom were held without legal justification.
Disturbing photographs showed US personnel constructing human pyramids with naked prisoners and compelling them to engage in mock sexual acts. One infamous image featured a female soldier holding a leash attached to a naked prisoner on the floor, while others depicted detainees handcuffed in degrading postures, threatened by dogs, or smeared with feces, as seen in publicly available images.
Numerous international organizations confirmed the reports of human rights violations, inciting global outrage. As evidence mounted, the administration of US President George W. Bush acknowledged the abuses but claimed they were isolated incidents. Approximately a dozen US military personnel were convicted in related cases.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Tuesday, the verdict found CACI Premier Technology Inc "liable for conspiring to torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment" of Suhail Al Shimari, a middle school principal, Asaad Zubae, a fruit vendor, and Salah Al-Ejaili, a journalist, according to a press release from the Center for Constitutional Rights, a non-profit advocacy organization.
The statement highlighted that the victims were detained in the section of Abu Ghraib where the most severe abuses occurred, noting, “along with hundreds of other Iraqis tortured at Abu Ghraib, they have suffered long-standing physical and emotional effects.”
The lawsuit accused CACI of being hired by the US government to "provide interrogation services." They were not the only private contractor involved in the scandal; Titan Corporation, which offered translation services at the prison, also faced accusations of mistreatment.
As a result of the jury's decision, CACI was ordered to pay each of the three men $3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million in punitive damages.
Originally filed in 2008, the lawsuit finally went to trial this April in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, following attempts by CACI to have it dismissed. This verdict follows a mistrial in May when the jury could not reach a unanimous decision.
The abuses at Abu Ghraib, which became public in 2004, highlighted severe human rights violations linked to the US military and CIA in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The media revealed shocking images depicting the torture and humiliation of detainees, many of whom were held without legal justification.
Disturbing photographs showed US personnel constructing human pyramids with naked prisoners and compelling them to engage in mock sexual acts. One infamous image featured a female soldier holding a leash attached to a naked prisoner on the floor, while others depicted detainees handcuffed in degrading postures, threatened by dogs, or smeared with feces, as seen in publicly available images.
Numerous international organizations confirmed the reports of human rights violations, inciting global outrage. As evidence mounted, the administration of US President George W. Bush acknowledged the abuses but claimed they were isolated incidents. Approximately a dozen US military personnel were convicted in related cases.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
