Philip Alston
Philip Alston
Philip G. Alston is an international law scholar and human rights practitioner. He is John Norton Pomeroy Professor of Law at New York University School of Law, and co-Chair of the law school's Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. In human rights law, Alston has held a range of senior UN appointments for over two decades, including United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, a position he held from August 2004 to July 2010...
attorneys credible critical defense doubly entire fair human lawyers requires rights rule systematic threatens
When defense lawyers are murdered, the rule of law is doubly at stake. Human rights law requires that all murders be investigated in a credible manner. Moreover, defense attorneys are critical to a fair trial, and their systematic assassination threatens the entire process.
complete disregard forces government innocent shoot
The government is, in effect, instructing its forces to shoot innocent people, in complete disregard for the right to life.
clearly convincing failure government major negative situation trying undertake
This is clearly a situation in which a failure to undertake a convincing investigation will have major negative implications for all that the government is trying to achieve.
against attacks civilian crimes humanity population systematic widespread
Under international law, widespread or systematic attacks against the civilian population are crimes against humanity.
allowed conflict dangerous days direct recent run
The dangerous escalation of the conflict in recent days is a direct consequence of killings being allowed to run unchecked.
efforts essential establish huge law rule
An independent investigation is essential because these killings have huge implications for efforts to establish the rule of law in Iraq.
rights law drones
The problem with the United States is that it is making an increased use of drones/Predators [which are] particularly prominently used now in relation to Pakistan and Afghanistan...My concern is that drones/Predators are being operated in a framework which may well violate international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
risk audio computer
Because operators are based thousands of miles away from the battlefield, and undertake operations entirely through computer screens and remote audio feed, there is a risk of developing a 'PlayStation' mentality to killing.
accountability air-power damage
This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without doing grave damage to the rules designed to protect the right to life and prevent extrajudicial executions.