Supreme Court rejects ex-Somali official's immunity claim

[cory777]

Source: LA Times

The justices rule that the U.S. immunity law does not prevent Somalis who say they or their relatives were tortured from suing former Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Samantar, who now lives in Virginia.

Reporting from Washington -
Torture victims won a victory Tuesday when the Supreme Court ruled that federal law does not automatically protect ex-officials of foreign governments from lawsuits over the abuse.

In a 9-0 ruling, the high court rejected a claim of immunity from former Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Samantar. Although the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 shields other countries from being sued in American courts, it does not protect former officials of those states, the justices said.

Citing the words of Congress, Justice John Paul Stevens wrote, "There is nothing to suggest we should read 'foreign state' … to include an official acting on behalf of the foreign state."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-court-immunity-20100602,0,5224655.story

[happyslug]

1. The actual case

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-1555.pdf