9/11 victims still waiting for justice

Too many victims and families devastated by the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States are still waiting for justice 23 years later, the US Attorney General said on Wednesday. Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights*.

On the anniversary of the devastating 2001 attacks, Ben Saul commemorated the 2,977 victims from more than 100 countries and paid tribute to “the courage and resilience of the survivors and the families of the victims.”

He pointed out that, although it was a crime against humanity, they remain deprived of justice because Successive US administrations “have undermined efforts to achieve genuine accountability”.

War on terror

The expert stressed that US officials involved in serious violations of international law in the war on terrorincluding torture, “have largely enjoyed impunity for decades.”

According to Saul, this indicates to other countries that lawlessness and international crimes are “acceptable” in the fight against terrorism“This signal continues to be repeated around the world,” he said, even among the US’s allies.

The US “double standard” in failing to accept the international rule of law erodes the application of law everywhere and “undermines the credibility and legitimacy of the global order designed to protect all humanity,” he added.

Violations of international law

Saul denounced the “legacy” of illegal renditions, torture, inhumane conditions of detention, unfair trials before irregular military commissions, arbitrary detentions and other violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, which “prevent the victims’ situation from being brought to an end.”

He highlighted the recent delay in the trial of three 9/11 suspects following the revocation of a credible deal to sentence them to life in prison by the US Secretary of Defense.

The conditions of detention of the remaining 30 detainees at the Guantanamo detention centre “do not appear to meet international standards,” the rapporteur said, including with regard to medical care, rehabilitation from torture and trauma, access to lawyers and family visits.

He recalled that 16 of the remaining detainees were released and are awaiting resettlement abroad, after decades of detention without charge.

The rapporteur warned that “many” of the approximately 741 people released from Guantanamo, including foreigners resettled in 29 third countries, have not received adequate support to recover from the trauma suffered by torture and prolonged and inhumane detention. “Some were arbitrarily detained, tortured or abusively accused of crimes upon arrival in other countries,” Saul added.

Despite apparent diplomatic assurances obtained but not implemented by the United States, a significant number of men were recently expelled from two “supposedly safe” third countries to their countries of origin, where they risk serious violations of their fundamental guarantees.

“Despite its mistakes in detaining many innocent people, the United States has failed to provide them with redress, including rehabilitation and compensation.“, the rapporteur added.

Application of United Nations standards

While Saul welcomed the U.S. government’s “genuine efforts” to help survivors and victims’ families, he urged it to fully implement the Recommendations of its predecessor, Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláinrelated to accountability, compensation and apologies to victims of violations committed by the country.

“I urge the United States to provide comprehensive assistance to all victims of terrorism in the future by implementing the rules of the United Nations,” he added.

*The expert: Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights.

** Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts and Working Groups are part of what is known as Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name for the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.