Sunday, December 21, 2003
Taking Liberties
The Iraqi police brought a couple of detainees to the front gate yesterday. They also brought a note from Ar Ramadi police chief Ja’ardan explaining that they had been arrested for demonstrating against coalition forces, and he was turning them over to our custody. The guards at the front gate had phoned us and wanted to know if we were going to detain them.
“On what charge?”
“Demonstrating.”
“That sounds like a police matter,” I said.
“No, but they were demonstrating against coalition forces.”
“Ok. Was it a violent demonstration?”
“No. It wasn’t violent. It was a peaceful demonstration.”
“Ok. Did they come up on anybody’s wanted list?”
“No.”
“Ok. That’s just not something we’d be interested in. Demonstrating is not a crime. Hand them back to the police, and unless they have something else on them, I’d recommend release.”
These Iraqis just are not getting the whole “civil liberties” thing.
“On what charge?”
“Demonstrating.”
“That sounds like a police matter,” I said.
“No, but they were demonstrating against coalition forces.”
“Ok. Was it a violent demonstration?”
“No. It wasn’t violent. It was a peaceful demonstration.”
“Ok. Did they come up on anybody’s wanted list?”
“No.”
“Ok. That’s just not something we’d be interested in. Demonstrating is not a crime. Hand them back to the police, and unless they have something else on them, I’d recommend release.”
These Iraqis just are not getting the whole “civil liberties” thing.
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