In Britain, four men who claimed they were tortured during lengthy detentions in Saudi Arabian prisons have lost the right to sue their former captors. On Wednesday, the House of Lords ruled Saudi Arabian officials are protected by state immunity laws and cannot be brought to trial on British soil. The men were arrested in 2001 and accused of carrying out a series of bombing attacks. While in jail they say they were tortured–including being beaten, raped and deprived of sleep. One of the men, William Sampson, spoke to Democracy Now! last November [ listen/read/watch interview].

• William Sampson: “The beatings started from the very, very start. Within a couple of days, the beatings had progressed from just punching, kicking, being thrown around the room, having my testicles stood on, to being lain down on the floor in a hog-tied position, hands shackled behind my back and attached to my ankles, and then beaten over the soles of the feet.”