CIA rendition victim wins European court case

In a judgement announced on the 13 December 2012 the European Court of Human Rights awarded a German citizen compensation after finding he was an innocent victim of extraordinary rendition by the CIA. It ordered Macedonia to pay Khaled al-Masri €60,000 euros for arresting him and handing him over to the Americans in December 2003.

Human rights advocates called it a major ruling. The ruling 'is a historic moment because for the first time it holds a European state accountable for its involvement in the secret US-led programmes and is a milestone in the fight against impunity' Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: The results of inquiries into the CIA's programme of extraordinary rendition and secret prisons in light of the new legal framework following the Lisbon Treaty http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-results-of-inquiries-into-the-cias-programme-of-extraordinary-rendition-and-secret-prisons-in-light-of-the-new-legal-framework-following-the-lisbon-treaty/

ECHR: HUDOC: Press Release, 13.12.12: Grand Chamber judgment El-Masri v. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 13.12.12 http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/webservices/content/pdf/003-4196815-4975517

BBC News, 13.12.12: Europe court award for rendition victim Khaled al-Masri http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20712615

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_rendition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_rendition

Amnesty International: News, 13.12.12: Historic ruling on Europe’s role in CIA renditions http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/historic-ruling-europe-s-role-cia-renditions-2012-12-13

Deutsche Welle, 13.12.12: European human rights court rules on El-Masri rendition case http://www.dw.de/european-human-rights-court-rules-on-el-masri-rendition-case/a-16451584

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