Judge Baltasar Garzón: Universal Jurisdiction
Judge Baltasar Garzón
Did well till he struck at home
In 1999 he started out resolute
The Chilean Dictator Pinochet to prosecute
For crimes against humanity
And certainly, a profanity.
In prosecuting those committing crimes outrageous
Judge Baltazar Garzón was morally courageous.
In addition, he launched investigations against Bush
Which elicited an enormous push
By the US government to intervene
And to prevent the investigation of the obscene
Illegal aggressive war and occupation
Of the non-threatening Iraqi nation.
Not to mention the outrageous abuses
For which there are no excuses
Which to you I simply say
Are occurring at the snake pit called Guantanamo Bay
But when his investigations into Spain’s sordid past
Of Franco’s torture and murder with victims in graves massed
And investigations of home-grown corruption
With approved wiretaps a major disruption
When by a fluke of Spanish law
Representing an incredible flaw
Allowing the crooks to finagle
And prosecute the judge for wiretaps illegal
And most tragically he is disbarred
Snuffing the career of this heroic star.
For Baltazar Garzón
Almost all alone
Was the conscience of the world
In prosecuting evil where with flags unfurled
Prosecutors shy away from prosecuting the politically connected
Who amongst the populace may be respected
But who have committed crimes galore
And are immune by reason of their power.
Howard P. Charman, MD 2-10-2012
Amy Goodman: Democracy Now 2-10-2012
“Spain’s most famous judge, Baltasar Garzón, has been disbarred for 11 years after being found guilty of ordering illegal monitoring. Garzón is known for taking on global human rights cases under the doctrine of universal jurisdiction, with actions including ordering the arrest of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1998, indicting Osama bin Laden for the 9/11 attacks, and probing the abuse of U.S. prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. Garzón cannot appeal his disbarment, which effectively ends his career as a judge. We speak to Human Rights Watch’s Reed Brody, who observed Garzon’s trial in Madrid. Brody says the case marks “a massive attack on the independence of the judiciary and on a very brave judge.”
Comment: With Barr’s machinations regarding the Flynn prosecution and the capture of the courts by right wing republicans, the US court system is on an ingravescent course. HC 6-11-2020