By Coconuts Hong Kong December 11, 2014 / 11:28 HKT
Like us Follow us Follow
Prisoner at Guantanamo Bay (Wikimedia)
Hong Kong has been named as one of the many countries that assisted in the United States' torture programme between 2002 and 2006.
The controversial report released by the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday shows that Hong Kong helped enable rendition (transporting) of US suspects without due legal process.
The names of dozens of countries – which were either involved in similar rendition activities or provided “secret” prisons beyond the reach of US law where detainees were subjected to torture – were not expressly stated in the report. They were, however, identified by a colour code, which was subsequently cracked by clever journos who cross-referenced the study with previous reports about the CIA’s activities in other countries.
The document reveals the extensive use of torture, including water boarding, death threats and sleep deprivation,by the US in the wake of 9/11.
Foreign governments were apparently offered money for their silence and told not to talk to US ambassadors about the torture programmes. In return, the countries participating are thought to have understood that their involvement would remain hush-hush. Ah, sos about that, guys.
According to the Huffington Post, “Hong Kong took part as an autonomous region of China able to enter some international agreements on its own”.
The US was obviously pretty antsy about the report coming out, given the fact that it has embarrassed its “friendly” global governments and also shown its own human rights record to be pretty damn shabby, despite the country's whiter than white rhetoric.
Beijing has indeed responded to the revelations by saying the United Staes should get its house in order before it starts touting itself as a role model. They know Hong Kong is part of China though, right?
Okay, we get it. You're both just terrible.
http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2014/12/11/senate-study-reveals-hong-kong-participated-us-torture-programme
