Originally published January 6 2006
Jordan's parliament must decide whether U.S. citizens will be held responsible for war crimes under international law
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have appealed to Jordan's parliament to reject legislation that would shield U.S. citizens from prosecution for war crimes in the International Criminal Court.
AMMAN: Leading rights groups urged Jordan's Parliament Wednesday to reject an agreement with the United States that would shield U.S. citizens from war crimes prosecution in the International Criminal Court.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) made the appeal in a joint statement as Jordan's 110-seat Lower House convened Wednesday for its second session after summer recess.
In July, the house threw out a government bill that would have endorsed the deal with Washington to give U.S. citizens immunity from prosecution by the ICC.
The bill was later endorsed by the UpperHouse, which sent it back to the Lower House, which must now decide whether or not to ratify it.
"Jordan's Parliament should reject an agreement that would shield U.S. citizens and personnel under Jordan jurisdiction from ICC prosecution for war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide," Amnesty and HRW said.
"Jordan should reject attempts by the U.S. government to force it to ratify the agreement by making their military and economic aid contingent on ratification," Amnesty and HRW said.
Washington vehemently opposes the ICC, the world's first permanent tribunal for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and has waged a global campaign for immunity pacts since the court came into existence in July 2002.
It has threatened to cut off aid to countries who refuse to sign bilateral immunity deals.
The United States fears the court could become a forum for politically motivated prosecutions of U.S. citizens, especially soldiers deployed abroad.
Jordan's King Abdullah II signed the so-called "Article 98" immunity agreement during a visit to the U.S. last December.
In August, President George W. Bush waived for six months a restriction on millions of dollars in aid to Jordan, which could have been blocked if Amman had joined the ICC.
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