The U.S. Supreme Court for the first time is examining the validity of opening federal courts to foreigners, and what Congress intended when it drafted a nondescript, sentence-long law more than 200 years ago that has been used recently to defend international victims of human rights abuses. On March 30 the High Court heard arguments on two combined cases involving the… return to article
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Reader Comments (2)Page 1 of 1 pagesUnder what law are citizens of various countries kept in close confinemen for over two years now, in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba? They have no prisoner of war status; have been charged with nothing; subjected to goodness knows what kind of harassment or torture and denied access to legal representation. In addition, it appears that they will be subject to “Stalinist” type show trials, whenever they get around to it. I cant believe any country that believes in the rule of law can contemplate this sort of gross injustice.
Posted by Terry on Apr 30, 2004 at 4:54 PM Leave it to the 9th Circuit to cause a shit-storm like this. Why the hell are OUR courts spending OUR resources for the benefit of foreignors?
It’s bad enough that they’re even recognizing the claim, but I think the Supreme Court will have the good sense to know that the ATCA’s purpose was not to put our legal system at the disposal of everyone in the world.
I don’t mean to be callous with respect to parties that seem to have no other recourse for their grievances (like the Paraguayan man whose son was murdered by police), but the last thing we need our courts doing is addressing claims from every Third World shithole without a legal system of its own.
Call me selfish, but I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say we’ve already got our hands full.
Posted by Harry on May 6, 2004 at 1:44 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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