Lawyers for Guantánamo Bay detainee Abu Zubaydah on Jan. 28 asked the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to rule on whether Poland violated their client's rights by aiding the US in detaining and allegedly torturing Zubaydah in a secret CIA prison. Zubaydah, a top al-Qaeda suspect, alleges that he was transferred to Poland and subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques." An investigation into the prison has been ongoing in Poland since 2008, but Zubaydah's lawyers argued that it has made no noticeable effort to bring any perpetrators to justice. The letter is notice that an application for a hearing will be filed.

The ECHR has already agreed to take the case of accused USS Cole bomber Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri who also alleges that he has been tortured in a secret CIA prison in Poland. In August, the Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI) urged the ECHR to review allegations that Romania was involved in the torture and other ill-treatment of al-Nashiri as well. The application alleged that al-Nashiri was subject to torture and mistreatment while in the secret CIA detention facility "Bright Light" located in Romania's capital.

From Jurist, Jan. 29. Used with permission.