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Revision as of 08:10, 22 June 2010 by Epeefleche (talk | contribs) (→Turkel Commission of Inquiry)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Brigadier General Kenneth "Ken" Watkin, OMM, CD, QC, was Judge Advocate General of the Canadian Forces from 2006 to 2010. He was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed JAG effective April 14, 2006, for a four year term. On June 13, 2010, the Israeli government appointed Ken Watkin to be one of two international observers serving on an Israeli commission of inquiry looking into the events surrounding an Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara.
Education
Watkin is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada (Student # 11027) 1976 and Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario where he received Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws degrees. From 2002 to 2003, Watkin was a Visiting Fellow at the Human Rights Program of Harvard Law School.
Afghan Detainee Issue
Ken Watkin was implicated in the Canadian Afghan detainee issue, in which several detainees arrested by the Canadian Forces went missing or were tortured following their transfer to the Afghan National Police and National Directorate of Security. According to a report in the Toronto Star, while acting as the Judge Advocate General, Ken Watkin advised the Canadian Forces command that they could be "criminally negligent" for transferring detainees to a risk of torture in Afghan hands. Mr. Watkin refused to answer questions when called to testify in Canada's House of Commons about whether he was directed to authorize the transfers or had knowledge of Canadian diplomatic reports of torture, and claimed that solicitor-client privilege owed to the Government of Canada prevented him answering the House's questions.
Turkel Commission of Inquiry
On June 14, 2010, he was appointed as an observer to the Israeli special independent public Turkel Commission of Inquiry into the Gaza flotilla raid.
The Commission will investigate whether Israel's actions in preventing the arrival of ships in Gaza were in accordance with international law. It will focus among other things on considering the security considerations for imposing a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip and the conformity of the naval blockade with the rules of international law; the conformity of the actions during the raid to principles of international law; and the actions taken by those who organized and participated in the flotilla, and their identities.
Also on the Commission are former Israeli Supreme Court Justice Jacob Turkel, Bar Ilan University Professor of International Law Shabtai Rosen, and former Technion University President Amos Horev. In addition, the Commission has two foreign observers, former First Minister of Northern Ireland David Trimble, and Watkin, who will take part in hearings and discussions, but not vote on the final conclusions.
References
- Barak Ravid, Haaretz, PMO officially announces internal Gaza flotilla raid probe panel, 14 June 2010 (accessed online).
- "Biography of Brigadier-General Ken Watkin". Government of Canada Department of National Defence. March 12, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- Zrahiya, Zvi (June 17, 2010). "Israeli members of flotilla inquiry panel meet for first time". Haaretz. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ^ "Cabinet asked to approve independent public commission". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. June 13, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- BBC: Gaza flotilla inquiry panel members
- Haaretz: Who's who on Israel's committee on the Gaza flotilla raid
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byMaj.-Gen. Jerry Pitzul | Judge Advocate General 2006–2010 |
Succeeded byB. Blaise Cathcart |
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