Editorial: Jails

There cannot be talk of democracy unless human rights are intact. Human rights constitute the backbone of a fair and just democracy. And there is no talk about human rights unless they can guarantee rights for the weakest individuals. The strongest individuals can protect their rights because they are from rich families, hold high-ranking posts or they are socially strong and can defend their rights. Only the weak are liable to having their rights violated, especially in the new transition to democracy in which the understanding of citizenry and human rights are still incomplete and fragile. One of the worst types of human weakness is the "arrest" in which one does not have the rights or the means to defend himself and ensure that his rights are not violated. This is exactly what happened in the US prison in Iraq, Abu Ghraib, where serious human rights violations took place. The photos of the abuse of Iraqis were published in the foreign press. Those pictures showed the uncivilized way the American troops treated Iraqis, and those who were charged did not face penalties. There is no way to justify or to accept the inhumane American behaviour toward the Iraqi detainees.