After two years and one day of being detained by the U.S. military, Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein was granted full amnesty by an Iraqi judicial panel yesterday. The panel unanimously decided to drop the last remaining criminal charge against the photographer, which concerned allegedly improper contacts he had with insurgents who murdered an Italian citizen, and it ordered Hussein "released immediately."
Earlier last week the panel also dismissed terrorism-related charges brought against Hussein by the U.S. military, including those that claimed he had bomb-making materials, colluded with insurgents to take photos coordinated with an explosion, and offered to acquire a forged I.D. for a terrorist wanted by the military. Since being detained by Marines on April 12, 2006, 70 miles west of Baghdad, Hussein has maintained his innocence and that he was doing only what was required of him as a photojournalist in a conflict zone.
The week's judicial decisions fall under an amnesty law enacted two months ago. Decisions to grant amnesty effectively close cases and do not assume guilt of the accused. Prior to yesterday's ruling, however, the military has said that it will continue to detain the Iraqi photographer until it has reviewed the panel's order (U.S. authorities say they can do this because a U.N. Security Council mandate, set to expire at the year's end, allows them to hold a detainee they perceive to be a security threat even if an Iraqi judicial body has ordered a prisoner freed).
Although a positive development, the panel's decision unfortunately does not necessarily signify the swift and timely release of Hussein that it should. The U.N. mandate does not expire until the end of this year, which means Hussein could spend up to another 8 months in a detention facility if the military drags its feet in reviewing the decision, or, worse, longer if it decides to bring new charges in an effort to prolong his detention.
--Anabel Lee
