Washington 17 July 2006: Tariq Aziz has filed an application to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights under emergency procedures permitting the Court to examine cases on an emergency basis. Tariq Aziz's lawyer Giovanni Di Stefano stated: "the European Court of Human Rights declined emergency intervention under Rule 39 because the real Respondent State in violations was the United States (not a signatory to the European Convention) and not the UK/Italy so using such decision on behalf of Mr Aziz I have filed with the competent court where the US is a signatory."
Mr Di Stefano further stated: "it is also our intention to file an emergency Habeas Corpus application with the United States Supreme Court. It will be lodged shortly. Tariq Aziz's position is by far diverse to that of other detainees simply because to date he is the only high profile figure that has not seen the inside of a courtroom. The US have requested his family not to visit him because they are unable to guarantee their safety. If the US cannot guarantee the safety of visitors how can they guarantee the safety of Tariq Aziz? I have written to the US Ambassador to allow Mr Aziz to be treated in any hospital of the US choice out of Baghdad. He is not well and with no visits he will get worse."
The IACHR is expected to rule on the application within days.
Download application.
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