Should the Pope be tried for crimes against humanity?
Mercator Net, Michael Cook | Friday, 9 April 2010
A United Nations jurist wants to put Benedict XVI in the dock for condoning sex-abuse. The real question is, how many others should be there with him?
A prominent Australian-British human rights lawyer and United Nations jurist has suggested that the Pope be put on trial for crimes against humanity. I think that this is a brilliant idea.
Geoffrey Robertson outlined his scheme in The Guardian and a number of Australian newspapers. Although he feels strongly that the Vatican is fraudulently representing itself as an independent country, the Pope should be brought to account for systematic abuse of human rights during his pontificate. Since 2002, he points out, heads of state are no longer immune from prosecution before the International Criminal Court. For instance, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of the president of the Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
In Pope Benedict’s case, Robertson argues that this includes sexual abuse of minors:
Continue reading at MercatorNet: Should the Pope be tried for crimes against humanity?
If you are interested in reading more, please check out MercatorNet's focus blog on the sexual abuse crisis -- Just B16
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