Raymond Azar
Encyclopedia
Raymond Azar is a citizen of Lebanon
who was captured by American security officials in Afghanistan.
He is notable because he is reported to have undergone abusive treatment at the United States
' Bagram Theater Internment Facility
in April 2009 that had been explicitly prohibited by United States President Barack Obama
the day after he took office on January 21, 2009.
Azar was apprehended in Afghanistan on April 7, 2009. He testified that he was stripped naked, deprived of sleep, confined to a small, cold metal box.
He testified that he was not fed during the first thirty hours he was in US custody.
He testified that his first interrogators at Bagram showed him photos of his family, and threatened him that he would never see them again.
Azar's testified about his treatment in Bagram during a trial in the USA for fraud.
He was charged with bribing US officicals to secure contracts for his company.
Scott Horton
, writing in the Huffington Post, reported that Department of Justice
"rushed" to offer him a plea deal, after his damaging testimony about his treatment.
Horton disputed the claims of American officials that Azar's treatment was "standard procedure", and that it was designed to protect Azar's health.
He characterized the treatment by Department of Justice officials as identical to the now prohibited rules for CIA snatch teams to conduct extraordinary rendition
s.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
who was captured by American security officials in Afghanistan.
He is notable because he is reported to have undergone abusive treatment at the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' Bagram Theater Internment Facility
Bagram Theater Internment Facility
The Parwan Detention Facility , also called the Bagram Theater Internment Facility, is a United States-run prison located next to Bagram Airfield in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan.It was formerly known as the Bagram Collection Point...
in April 2009 that had been explicitly prohibited by United States President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
the day after he took office on January 21, 2009.
Azar was apprehended in Afghanistan on April 7, 2009. He testified that he was stripped naked, deprived of sleep, confined to a small, cold metal box.
He testified that he was not fed during the first thirty hours he was in US custody.
He testified that his first interrogators at Bagram showed him photos of his family, and threatened him that he would never see them again.
Azar's testified about his treatment in Bagram during a trial in the USA for fraud.
He was charged with bribing US officicals to secure contracts for his company.
Scott Horton
Scott Horton (lawyer)
Scott Horton is a New York attorney known for his work in human rights law and the law of armed conflict, as well as emerging markets and international law. He graduated Texas Law School in Austin with a JD and was a partner in a large New York law firm, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler...
, writing in the Huffington Post, reported that Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
"rushed" to offer him a plea deal, after his damaging testimony about his treatment.
Horton disputed the claims of American officials that Azar's treatment was "standard procedure", and that it was designed to protect Azar's health.
He characterized the treatment by Department of Justice officials as identical to the now prohibited rules for CIA snatch teams to conduct extraordinary rendition
Extraordinary rendition
Extraordinary rendition is the abduction and illegal transfer of a person from one nation to another. "Torture by proxy" is used by some critics to describe situations in which the United States and the United Kingdom have transferred suspected terrorists to other countries in order to torture the...
s.