Rendition
Rendition as relating agents of the federal government is the arrest and extrajudicial transfer of an individual from one country or state to another. For many years the US has apprehended individuals in other countries and brought them to the US to stand trial outside any extradition process. A more recent form of rendition by agents of the federal government is the apprehension of individuals in the US and transferring them to other countries to face trial (Pines, 2011, p. 525). In my opinion these renditions violate the basic rules of justice that the United States says it upholds.
Some of the suspected terrorists that the United States apprehends within its boundaries are political activists who dared to speak against the impunity in their country and have hence been labeled terrorists by their home governments (Grey, 2006, p. 213). So when the US transfers them to these countries to face trial, it is not only impeding the democratic growth of the other country but also the suspected terrorist’s’ right to a free and fair trial by an unbiased court.
Other countries do practice rendition but the main culprit is the United States which has been practicing these illegal arrests and transfers since the 19th century (Pines, 2011, p. 525). Countries that have been reported to use renditions to apprehend suspected terrorists include Israeli, Pakistan, Iran, and Russia. However one thing should be noted, other countries practicing rendition does not make it right; a large percentage of the world practiced slave trade but it never made it right. President Obama who most human rights activists had the hope would deal with this issue appointed a task force to investigate the issue. However, the task force argued that renditions are necessary and only proposed some small policy changes. The President is now implementing the recommendations of the task force oblivious of the numerous human rights violations federal agencies are orchestrating while carrying out the act.
References
Pines, D. (2011). “Rendition Operations: Does U.S. Law Impose Any Instructions?” Loyola
University Chicago Law Journal 42, 525-572
Grey, S. (2007). Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Rendition and Torture Program.
Boston: St. Martins Griffin
