Amnesty International calls for review of appointment of CIA deputy director
The Amnesty International has called for the review of the appointment of Gina Haspel as deputy director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency because of her alleged torture links by CIA in Thailand.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International, issued a press statement that Haspel’s appointment could hamper investigations into alleged torture and enforced disappearance at alleged CIA “black site” in Thailand.
Instead of appointing Haspel to the post, the administration of US president should investigate the alleged black site and Gina’s alleged role in the destruction of evidence of “such crimes under international law”, Rosas called on.
“Reports that Gina Haspel directed the alleged CIA ‘black site’ in Thailand, at a time when detainees held there were subjected to torture and enforced disappearance, as well as a possible role in the destruction of evidence of such crimes under international law, raise extremely serious concerns,” Rosas said in the statement.
He noted that Haspel’s appointment came on the heels of President Trump’s recent vocal support for torture, and means all indicators are “flashing red”.
“These allegations are serious and must be subject to close scrutiny. No one should be appointed to a position where they could interfere in the investigation of or facilitate the concealment crimes under international law,” Rosas said.
“With all the Trump administration’s talk of ‘extreme vetting’, they must not fail to vet public officials for their ability to uphold the US constitution and international law.
Various reports indicate that Haspel directed the alleged CIA “black site” in Thailand, where two detainees, Abu Zubaydah and ‘Abd al Nashiri, were held in 2002 and subjected to torture as well as to enforced disappearance – crimes under international law.
Videotapes were made of the men’s interrogations, including recordings of waterboarding, a torture technique which amounts to mock execution by interrupted drowning. These tapes were destroyed by the CIA in November 2005, in a move approved by José Rodriguez, former head of the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center and National Clandestine Service. Haspel is reported to have also been involved in the destruction of the tapes, Amnesty International said.
