On June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal courts may not hear human rights claims under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), and that aiding-and-abetting claims are not actionable under the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). This represents a major shift in U.S. human rights litigation which will significantly restrict victims’ options to seek accountability from actors who assist foreign governments in carrying out human rights abuses.
U.S. Supreme Court’s Cisco Ruling Narrows…
On June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal courts may not hear human rights claims under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), and that aiding-and-abetting claims are not actionable under the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). This represents a major shift in U.S. human rights litigation which will significantly restrict victims’ options to seek accountability from actors who assist foreign governments in carrying out human rights abuses.