BRUSSELS -- US congressman Gary Ackerman has tabled legislation aimed at protecting US nationals against being brought to trial through Belgium's so- called genocide law.
Ackermann's draft legislation rejects the concept of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity and states that US nationals cannot be tried abroad for such offences.
Belgium's controversial law of universal competence [jurisdiction] allowed for foreign nationals to stand trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
If agreed to, the new legislation will grant power to the US authorities to use "all possible means" to free nationals from trial in Belgium.
The bill specifically refers to proceedings already in motion, such as that against former president George Bush Senior and Secretary of State Colin Powell for war crimes inflicted during the Gulf war in 1991.
Most recently, a case was brought forward by a group of Belgian doctors on behalf of 19 Iraqis against US central command chief, General Tommy Franks.
Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Louis Michel reacted to US diplomatic pressure last month by pushing through changes to the legislation, narrowing the scope of the law.
Several clauses were to be amended in an effort to avoid the law's being used for political complaints in the current climate.
The US State Department signalled last week that yet more should be done in order to filter-out politically motivated cases.
"We've expressed those concerns to the government of Belgium," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told Washington Post reporters.
"We're pleased that the Belgian government has taken action to change the law, but we believe the Belgian government needs to be diligent in taking steps to prevent abuse of the legal system for political ends," Boucher said.
Dr. Laurie King-Irani is North American Coordinator of International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra & Shatila. For media queries, write to coordinator@indictsharon.net. For website queries, write to webmaster@indictsharon.net.
Surfed directly to this page? Add navigation frames here.
This page is part of indictsharon.net, the website of the International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra & Shatila, offering news on the case lodged in Belgium against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other Israelis and Lebanese responsible for the massacre, killing, rape and disappearance of civilians that took place in Beirut between 16 and 18 September 1982 in the camps of Sabra and Shatila and the surrounding area.
Copyright notice: All content copyright ©2002 indictsharon.net unless otherwise noted. No unauthorised mirroring of any part or all of this site is permitted. Links to this site or to parts of it are welcomed. Materials may be printed from this site and photocopied for activist or classroom use. Information about photographs used on this website.