Tue Nov 12 20:04:15 UTC 2024: ## Abu Ghraib Survivors Win $42 Million from Defence Contractor CACI
**Washington, D.C.** – A US federal jury has ordered defence contractor CACI to pay $42 million to three Iraqi men who were tortured at Abu Ghraib prison during the US occupation of Iraq. The verdict, reached on Tuesday, ends a 15-year legal battle that saw CACI repeatedly attempt to dismiss the case.
The plaintiffs, Suhail Al Shimari, Salah Al-Ejaili, and Asa’ad Al-Zuba’e, testified that they were subjected to beatings, sexual abuse, forced nudity, and other cruel treatment at the hands of US military police and CACI interrogators. While they didn’t directly accuse CACI employees of inflicting the abuse, they argued that the company was complicit because its interrogators conspired with the military to “soften up” detainees for questioning.
The jury found CACI liable, awarding each plaintiff $3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million in punitive damages. This comes after a separate federal trial in May ended in a hung jury.
The lawsuit, first filed in 2008, presented the first time a US jury heard claims brought by Abu Ghraib survivors in the 20 years since photos of detainee mistreatment shocked the world. While none of the three plaintiffs were in the infamous photos, their accounts of abuse mirrored the horrifying images that exposed the extent of torture at the prison.
CACI argued that it was not complicit in the abuse, claiming its employees had minimal interaction with the plaintiffs and that military records contradicted some of their claims. They also invoked the “borrowed servants” doctrine, attempting to deflect liability to the US government.
However, the jury ultimately found CACI responsible for the actions of its employees, rejecting the “borrowed servants” argument.
“Today is a big day for me and for justice,” said Al-Ejaili, who travelled to the US to testify in person. “This victory isn’t only for the three plaintiffs in this case against a corporation. This victory is a shining light for everyone who has been oppressed and a strong warning to any company or contractor practicing different forms of torture and abuse.”
The verdict marks a significant step towards accountability for private contractors involved in the Abu Ghraib scandal and sends a strong message that such abuses will not be tolerated. However, it comes with a stark reminder that the US government has yet to provide any compensation to victims of torture and abuse at the prison.
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