U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Congo Torture Immunity Appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a denial of immunity for Congolese officials sued for the alleged torture of an American citizen, leaving in place a federal appeals court ruling that could have far reaching implications for U.S. foreign policy interests and suits against American officials.

In rejecting the appeal from two Democratic Republic of the Congo officials, the justices left in place an appeals court ruling that the officials argued “opens U.S. courts to a flood of suits against foreign officials—even where the alleged conduct was undertaken on behalf of, and ratified by, the foreign state.”

American citizen ...