South Africa’s government is facing some uncomfortable questions as a lobby group is claiming that the state helped American officials during an apparent kidnapping.
The US Senate Torture Report lists Saud Memon as a detainee, who was tortured by the CIA.
He was allegedly abducted in South Africa, by the FBI in March 2003 and is listed as number 100 on the list of detainees held and tortured by the CIA between 2002 and 2008.
Advocacy groups say leaves the South African government complicit in his torture.
“It’s impossible for them not to have known. They would have needed to have given some sort of nod of agreement to a flight that would have come here and landed and picked him up – the CIA does have to have the agreement of local security apparatus,” said Karen Jayes, spokesperson for independent advocacy organisation Cage.
“We want to know who gave the green light essentially and it’s very important that that person is held accountable.”
South Africa is a signee to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, but this wouldn’t be the first time the government green lighted the removal of a terror suspect from the country.
Khalid Rashid’s rendition from South Africa in 2005 was declared illegal by the supreme court of appeals.
According to his lawyers, the state has been held .accountable for their illegal behaviour and now intend approaching the International Criminal Court for justice.
“You can’t have a court making an order branding conduct to be unlawful without there being consequences,” commented Zahir Omar, of the Society for the Protection of our Constitution.
“If we allow that we are sowing the seeds of our entire judiciary falling into smithereens.”
The department of home affairs and state security did not respond to requests for comment.
source- eNCA