The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that organisations may not be sued for claims they aided in torture or killings abroad under a US law aimed at helping torture victims.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the court's opinion dismissing the lawsuit filed by the family of an American who died in the custody of Palestinian intelligence officers in Jericho in 1995. The family wanted to sue the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organisation under the Torture Victim Protection Act.
Sotomayor said the 1992 law's use of the word "individual" is persuasive evidence that only people may be sued over claims they took part in torture.