EL PASO—The Juarez police lieutenant was recovering from three gunshot wounds, the result of an assault by hit men for a drug cartel. His name was on a death list brazenly posted at a monument for fallen peace officers. Lt. Salvador Hernandez Arvizu didn’t like his odds of surviving in Mexico. So he fled his […]
Accountability
Echoes of Colombia?
Colin Powell visits Colombia in support of Plan Colombia. Immigration fueled by drug-related violence and lawlessness is not unprecedented. Over the past decade, thousands of Colombians have sought asylum in the United States as the U.S. government sent billions of dollars to South America to attack coca production. The aid package, known as Plan Colombia, […]
What Killed Sergeant Gray?
Sergeant Adam Gray made it home from Iraq only to die in his barracks. Investigating his death, American RadioWorks pieces together a story of soldiers suffering psychological scars – because they abused Iraqi prisoners. >> Listen to the story on American RadioWorks.
Gannett Papers Shocked by Taser’s Claims
Taser International Inc., the world’s largest stun-gun manufacturer, allegedly made false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning an agreement with two of the nation’s largest newspapers, according to the newspapers’ representatives and documents obtained by the Center for Investigative Reporting. The statements stem from the 2006 settlement of Taser’s libel suit against Gannett […]
Report from Baghdad
Anna Badkhen has covered wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Chechnya and Kashmir. She recently returned to Iraq—her 10th trip since 2003—and wrote a series of journals for The Muckraker. During her month in Baghdad, Badkhen met the wives of detained Iraqis, followed soldiers out on home searches, and witnessed the […]
The High Price of Diplomacy with China: Documents
Four members of the Falun Gong filed this complaint in federal court against Bo Xilai, China’s former minister of commerce. They alleged that Bo—while serving as a provincial governor from 2001 to 2004—oversaw torture and executions at forced labor camps. The case was filed under the Torture Victim Protection Act and the Alien Tort Statute. […]
The Rise of an Alleged Torturer: Bo Xilai
One of China’s most powerful political figures is facing allegations in a U.S. court that he directed a torture campaign against religious followers. The Bush administration is trying to get the case thrown out. Bo Xilai, the son of one of modern China’s most influential leaders, has thus far led a life of privilege and […]
The High Price of Diplomacy with China
The Bush administration is trying to scuttle a federal human rights lawsuit that threatens to embarrass one of China’s top political leaders. The administration says the case could jeopardize trade and “has already had a chilling effect on U.S.-China relations,” documents show. The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. district court, accuses Bo Xilai—a member […]
Beijing Olympic Chief Linked to Torture
The president of Beijing’s Olympic Organizing Committee was once found liable for torture in a U.S. federal court, a review of court records by the Center for Investigative Reporting has found. The 2004 judgment against Liu Qi — a member of the country’s powerful Politburo — received little media attention at the time. The U.S. […]