International court finds UK war crimes in Iraq but will not open investigation
The International Criminal Court has closed its probe because it could not conclude that UK authorities were unwilling to genuinely carry out an investigation.
A new report by the International Criminal Court (ICC) released Wednesday found that British troops likely committed war crimes in Iraq between 2003 and 2009. However, the global court has decided not to open an investigation.
The 184-page report found evidence linking a pattern of war crimes carried out for years against Iraqis held in custody, many of whom were civilians, citing torture, rape, other forms of sexual violence and beatings so badly that those in custody later died from their injuries.
Despite the findings, the ICC is closing its probe into the allegations, saying that it cannot conclude that UK authorities had been unwilling to genuinely carry out an investigation. The court only takes cases if a member state is unwilling or unable to carry out a case or if a state investigation is deemed questionable.
In its more than 10-year judicial process, UK authorities have examined thousands of allegations. Not one has resulted in being submitted for prosecution, the ICC found. The global court said the UK’s process “has deprived the victims of justice.”
