Episode 13: Justice for Abu Ghraib with Katherine Gallagher and Baher Azmy

April 12, 2019

On the thirteenth episode of The Activist Files, Advocacy Program Manager Aliya Hussain speaks with Center for Constitutional Rights Legal Director Baher Azmy and Senior Staff Attorney Katherine Gallagher about Al Shimari v. CACI, our case against private military contractor CACI Premier Technology, Inc., for its role in torture and other abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Fifteen years after the story of the torture broke, and 11 years after the case was filed, Al Shimari was finally slated to go to trial in late April--only to be postponed after CACI filed an appeal. As Katherine says, most fundamentally this case is about allowing three individuals -- Suhail Al Shimari, Salah Al-Ejaili, Asa'ad Zuba'e -- to tell their story about what happened to them at Abu Ghraib. Baher and Katherine discuss the important human rights issues in the case, significant legal victories, the broader legal context of accountability against private corporations for human rights abuses, and the intensity with which CACI has fought for immunity for its actions. They note the importance of this case at a time when human rights norms are under attack around the world, and connections to broader trends in privatization. While trial is postponed for now, we are continuing to work to share those stories until our clients get their day in court. Please listen and share.

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