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Washington told the United Nations yesterday that it now considers a ban against torture to apply to prisoners held by the US overseas.
Previously the administration of George W Bush interpreted the UN Convention Against Torture to apply only within US borders, giving its torturers free rein in Guantanamo Bay prison, other overseas bases and aboard US ships.
In contrast President Obama banned certain interrogation methods, but no formal change of policy was communicated to the UN body monitoring compliance with the treaty.
The White House said yesterday that it would give formal notice that it interprets the ban as applying anywhere under US government control.
UN investigator Alessio Bruni of Italy told the high-level US delegation that it must answer for violations ranging from CIA rendition to police brutality and Guantanamo Bay conditions.
