Noriega’s lawyers complain to Red Cross about prison conditions

Noriega’s lawyers complain to Red Cross

PARIS — French lawyers for former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega sent a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday to protest his lack of prisoner-of-war status in France and complain about his prison conditions.

Lawyers for Noriega have been pressing for his release since he was extradited from the U.S. last week to face charges of laundering drug money. The former strongman is being held in La Sante prison in southern Paris.

Noriega was considered a prisoner of war in the United States, but French authorities have said he does not qualify here.

In the letter to ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger, lawyers Yves Leberquier and Olivier Metzner accused France of failing to respect the Geneva Convention and said that Noriega’s rights “are being quite simply trampled on.” Copies of the letter were sent to French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Noriega was granted POW status by a judge in Miami, where he had been jailed since the U.S. invaded Panama to remove him in 1989. His French lawyers argue that the status cannot be taken from him.

In Miami, Noriega had separate quarters in prison, the right to wear his military uniform and insignia and monitoring by international rights groups. France has said the ICRC will be allowed to visit him.

But Noriega’s lawyers argue he has lost other perks — such as the right to wear his uniform. They also complain that conditions at La Sante are unclean and “in no way comparable” to those Noriega experienced in Miami.

France notified the United States before the transfer that it wouldn’t treat Noriega as a prisoner of war, French Justice Ministry spokesman Guillaume Didier said. He said Noriega is accused of committing ordinary crimes that had nothing to do with his military role.

On Monday, the former strongman’s legal team formally submitted a request for his release to a French court, a judicial official said.

French authorities claim Noriega had laundered some $3 million in drug proceeds by purchasing luxury apartments in Paris. The 72-year-old Noriega could face 10 years in prison if convicted in France.