Human Rights Watch Calls For Criminal Investigation Against Bush Officials

Former U.S. President George W. Bush

Human Rights Watch has called for U.S President Barack Obama's administration to order a criminal investigation into allegations that the administration of former President George W. Bush authorized the use of torture against detainees.

The call was made in a 107-page report issued by the nongovernmental rights group. It says the Obama administration has failed to meet U.S. obligations under the Convention against Torture to investigate acts of torture and other ill-treatment of detainees.

Human Rights Watch lawyers say there is enough evidence to name four top-level Bush administration officials in a war crimes investigation -- former U.S. President George W. Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former CIA Director George Tenet.

compiled from agency reports