### U.S. Jury Awards $42 Million to Former Abu Ghraib Detainees

In a landmark decision, a U.S. jury has ordered Virginia-based military contractor CACI to pay $42 million to three former detainees of the infamous Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The jury's verdict, delivered on Tuesday, holds CACI responsible for contributing to the torture and mistreatment of the detainees nearly 20 years ago.

The plaintiffs, Suhail Al Shimari, Salah Al-Ejaili, and Asa'ad Al-Zubae, were each awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million in punitive damages. They testified that during their imprisonment in 2003 and 2004, they endured beatings, sexual abuse, forced nudity, and other forms of severe mistreatment. Although they did not allege that CACI’s interrogators directly inflicted the abuse, they argued that the contractor colluded with military police to "soften up" detainees for interrogation.

Baher Azmy, a lawyer from the Center for Constitutional Rights, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs, hailed the verdict as a significant step towards justice and accountability. Azmy praised the resilience of the plaintiffs, emphasizing the numerous obstacles they faced in their legal battle against CACI. The $42 million awarded fully matches the amount sought by the plaintiffs.

"This victory is not just for us but for all who have been oppressed," stated Al-Ejaili, a journalist who traveled to the U.S. for both trials. "It sends a strong warning to any company or contractor involved in torture and abuse."

This case marks the first time a U.S. jury has heard claims from Abu Ghraib survivors, despite the widespread shock caused by photos of detainee abuse during the U.S. occupation of Iraq two decades ago. While none of the plaintiffs appeared in the notorious images, they described experiences strikingly similar to those captured in the photos.

Despite CACI's arguments that it was not complicit in the abuse and that any liability should rest with the government, the jury determined that CACI bore responsibility for its employees' actions. Lawyers for the plaintiffs cited reports from retired Army generals, which concluded that CACI interrogators were complicit in the abuse and that one interrogator, Steven Stefanowicz, likely instructed soldiers to mistreat detainees.

The lawsuit, initially filed in 2008, faced over a decade of legal challenges and several attempts by CACI to have it dismissed. Ultimately, the jury’s decision provides a powerful message about accountability for actions taken under the guise of military operations.