(Image source: The Guardian)

BY LEXA DECKERT

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

You're watching multisource video news analysis from Newsy

From president to prisoner?
That could be the reality facing former U.S. President George W. Bush.
The Daily Beast explains...


“Human Rights Watch released a sweeping report ... calling for a criminal investigation into the actions of senior Bush administration officials for allegedly permitting the use of torture, sending suspects to secret CIA prisons and transferring them to countries where they were tortured by foreign governments...”


Human Rights Watch says the organization realizes these accusations are not new, but they believe with the release of new documents, the need for further investigation will be recognized.
A release reads...


“Human Rights Watch believes... there is now substantial evidence that civilian leaders requested that politically appointed government lawyers create legal justifications to support abusive interrogation techniques, in the face of opposition from career legal officers.” (Human Rights Watch)


Iran’s Press TV reports some of the information recently reviewed...


“...memos outlining the interrogation techniques permitted by the Bush administration - including covering detainees with insects, slapping, waterboarding, and sleep deprivation. While the president has put an end to these practices, he says, the U.S. will not prosecute CIA agents who trusted the legal opinions of the Bush administration."


An opinion writer for the Washington Post says -- even though the report targets Bush -- it has repercussions for Obama.


“Obama prohibited the practice, but by refusing to underscore its criminality through prosecution, he leaves the door open for future presidents to resume torture when the next security challenge arises.”


And reports indicate -- if Obama doesn’t do something about it -- someone else might. Here’s Kenya’s Daily Nation.


“...if the US does not pursue credible criminal investigations, other countries should prosecute US officials involved in crimes against detainees in accordance with international law.”


The BBC reports-- former President Bush has defended some of the interrogation techniques, saying they may have prevented more terrorist attacks.


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Transcript by Newsy.