Abu Ghraib prison (Credit: AFP)
Jury finds US contractor CACI International liable for Abu Ghraib torture
A US federal jury found defense contractor CACI International liable for its role in the torture of detainees at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison during the Iraq War.
The jury's decision requires the Virginia-based company to pay USD 42 million in damages to the victims, marking the first time a civilian contractor has been held accountable for the abuses at the prison.
The case centered on the actions of CACI employees, who were contracted by the US government as interrogators at the facility between 2003 and 2004.
The plaintiffs, three Iraqi men who were detained at Abu Ghraib, claimed that CACI personnel were responsible for directing military police to “soften up” prisoners, a term that allegedly led to widespread physical and psychological abuse. The jury awarded each of the three plaintiffs USD 14 million in damages.
The verdict follows a drawn-out legal battle that brought the horrors of Abu Ghraib back into the public eye. The prison became the focus of global outrage after photographs surfaced in 2004, showing US military personnel abusing prisoners, including forcing them into humiliating positions, simulating sexual acts, and engaging in physical torture such as electrocution and mock executions.
"This verdict is a historic step toward accountability," said a spokesperson for the Center for Constitutional Rights. "For the first time, a company has been held accountable for its direct role in torture, sending a powerful message that those who profit from abuse must be held responsible."
CACI, however, denies that its employees were involved in torture, claiming that its personnel were merely fulfilling their roles as interrogators under the supervision of military authorities.
In a statement, the company called the verdict “disappointing” and vowed to appeal. A CACI spokesperson stated that the company has been unfairly linked to the actions of military police at Abu Ghraib and that its employees were not responsible for the acts of abuse committed by others.
