Appellate Court Overturns Abu Ghraib Verdict After Supreme Court Ruling

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decision marks a sharp reversal for the plaintiffs—Suhail Al Shimari, Asa'ad Zuba'e, and Salah Al-Ejaili—who had successfully convinced a jury in 2024 that the company was liable for their abuse. While the appellate court had originally upheld that verdict in March, the Supreme Court’s June ruling in Cisco Systems v. Doe forced a reassessment. The court concluded that claims involving conspiracy to commit torture under the 18th-century law must now be dismissed.

Baher Azmy, legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, condemned the outcome as a regressive blow to human rights accountability. Despite the legal dismissal, Azmy emphasized that the jury’s earlier unanimous finding of liability remains a testament to the plaintiffs' struggle. Salah Al-Ejaili, one of the survivors, stated that while the court denied them final justice, the 18-year effort to bring their story before a jury remains a significant achievement in holding a powerful contractor accountable.