Bernhard Docke, the German attorney for Murat Kurnaz , will be awarded the prestigious Carl-von-Ossietzky-Medal in recognition for his contribution to international human rights. Docke worked tirelessly for years to secure the release of Kurnaz from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, applying pressure on both the US and German governments. He reflected on his work in a television interview on ZDF. Here he discusses the ongoing legal activities on behalf of his client:
Docke: Die USA sind für das Foltergefängnis in Guantanamo politisch wie juristisch verantwortlich. Ich werde mit meinem US-Kollegen prüfen, ob wir in den USA Schadenersatzansprüche geltend machen. Schließlich geht selbst aus den US-Akten im Fall Kurnaz hervor, dass die USA schon seit langer Zeit davon ausgehen, dass Herr Kurnaz keine Straftaten begangen hat. Wider besseres Wissen wurde er in Guantanamo festgehalten. (trans. The USA is politically and legally responsible for the torture prison in Guantanamo. Together with my American colleages I will review if we can pursue a claim for financial restitution. After all, the US files in the case confirm that the US government knew for some time that Kurnaz was not involved in any terrorist activities. But even with this knowledge they continued to hold him captive at Guantanamo.)
Die Möglichkeiten, die amerikanische Regierung für dieses Fehlverhalten in Regress zu nehmen, sind jedoch durch eine direkt vor den letzten Kongresswahlen verabschiedete Gesetzesnovelle erschwert worden. Nach dem Military Commissions Act sollen die Gefangenen sämtliche Klagerechte verlieren. Ich halte dieses Gesetz für verfassungswidrig. Der Supreme Court wird hierüber zu befinden haben. (trans. The chances of pursuing recourse against the US government for its gross misconduct has been made difficult by the Military Commission Act – passed by Congress just before the last election. Under this law detainess have no legal rights to bring complaints forward. I view this law as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court will have to decide.)
The good news is that the incoming Democratic Congress has pledged to undo some of the most egregious aspects of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Senators Arlen Spector and Patrick Leahy have already introduced the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2006 which would reinstate federal court jurisdiction over Guantanamo detainees and other suspected enemy combatants. Maybe Docke will obtain some measure of justice (belatedly) for his client.
