The Johannesburg-based Muslim Lawyers Association in South Africa is calling for the arrest of US President Barack Obama when he arrives in South Africa on 29 June, 2013.
The organization has submitted a 600-plus page document to the Office of South Africa’s National Director of Public Prosecutions asking for an investigation into Obama’s “war crimes”, including his involvement in the Middle East and drone attack killings.
Group spokesperson Yousha Tayob said in terms of the Rome Statute, South Africa has the right to prosecute a war criminal on its territory.
“Obama ordered drone strikes that killed innocent civilians. In terms of the Rome Statute, South Africa has the right to prosecute a war criminal on its territory if there is sufficient evidence,” Muslim Lawyers’ Association spokesman, Yousha Tayob, said on Tuesday (June 11, 2013).
The Muslim Lawyers Association was formed in 2007 provides legal services and advice to Muslims, locally and internationally, on issues that affect them. Membership of the association is open to judges, magistrates and prosecutors, among others.
The US Embassy in South Africa’s spokesman Jack Hillmeyer said it had “no comment”.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Bulelwa Makeke said the office had received the docket and was studying it.
I haven’t been able to locate a online copy of the 600-plus page document. If readers are able to locate it please post a link in the comments section below.
Read more at:
http://www.afriquejet.com/news/7778-barack-obama-group-wants-obama-s-arrest-in-south-africa.html
and
Researchers from New York University School of Law and Stanford University Law School recently released a report entitled, “Living Under Drones: Death, Injury and Trauma to Civilians From US Drone Practices in Pakistan”. They found that in four years Obama commissioned five times more drone attacks than former president George W Bush did in his two terms in the White House . The report estimates drones have killed between 474 and 881 civilians, including 176 children.
Please exercise your free speech in the comments section below. There are no stipulations of political correctness on this blog. Speak your mind, give us your thoughts, both objective and subjective. Share your ideas, hunches, inklings or your expertise. Please provide recommendation and corrections if you spot errors in fact within the blog report. Lastly, remember that posting a comment is much like casting a vote, so please do so.
Lucas, it looks like this is the Press Release:
http://www.mlajhb.com/press-release-obama-docket
And this is the Brief Summary:
http://www.mlajhb.com/brief-summary-2
@ KenyanBornObama:
Thank you for providing us with the links.
so militant Muslim lawyers want Obama prosecuted for waging wars against Muslims ? I don’t understand. Is he a Muslim terrorist or a terrorist to Muslims ?
btw, MLA hs been accused of supporting jihadists
Interesting video and article regard Obama’s upcoming trip to Africa:
Barack Obama’s African safari scrapped over sniper costs.
(Barack and Michelle Obama have reportedly scrapped a safari during their trip to Africa because of the costs of snipers needed “to neutralise cheetahs, lions and other animals if they became a threat”. )
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/10120856/Barack-Obamas-African-safari-scrapped-over-sniper-costs.html
Muslim Lawyers Association opposed to Obama visit
20 June 2013 | Sapa
The Citizen Online
http://www.citizen.co.za/citizen/content/en/citizen/local-news?oid=438803&sn=Detail&pid=146826&Muslim-Lawyers-Association-opposed-to-Obama-visit
Snippet:
The Muslim Lawyers Association (MLA) intends taking the NPA to court for refusing to arrest US President Barack Obama on his South African visit later this month.
“We will ask the court to review the decision neither to investigate or prosecute and to order them to commence a full investigation in terms of the Rome Statute,” MLA attorney Yousha Tayob said.
The MLA said it submitted a complaint to the national director of public prosecutions and the SA Police Service, calling for Obama to be “investigated, charged, arrested, and tried in a South African court for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide”.
The MLA cited the Obama administration’s drone programme as the reason for its action.
The association said the complaint was made in terms of international customary law, as well as the implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Act 2002 (the ICC Act).
“The [drone] programme is responsible for extra-judicial killings of both innocent civilians as well as US citizens abroad. The drone strike policy has continued unabated with total disregard for territorial sovereignty and this is cited as the primary reason that Obama should be investigated and tried for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide,” the MLA said.
A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle. In a recent speech Obama said the US used drones to target people it considered a threat to its national security when other measures were not possible.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed receiving the MLA’s documents.
Tayob said the MLA received a letter of reply from the state attorney’s office on Wednesday.
“They have decided they are not commencing an investigation,” said Tayob.
The NPA was also not going to arrest or secure Obama’s attendance in a court room.
Tayob said the application for a review would be made next week, probably in the High Court in Pretoria.
The Media Review Network (MRN) was also opposed to Obama’s visit. Executive director Iqbal Jassat said the MRN planned a series of protests over Obama’s visits, over the US government’s use of drones, its failure to stop the “occupation of Muslim countries”, and its not shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention centre as promised.
The MRN supports the MLA’s planned legal action.
“We have rallied behind these actions. Levels of pressure developed by civil society would force the US government to review the purpose of this visit and possibly lead to the cancellation,” said Jassat.
A row is reportedly also brewing over plans by the University of Johannesburg to award Obama an honorary degree.
According to a report in the Sunday Independent, students were split on this.
But deputy vice chancellor Tinyiko Maluleke said the process was a lengthy one, requiring high levels of consultation and agreement, and had not been finalised.