A U.S. soldier convicted of abusing Iraqi prisoners has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.
A military court in Fort Hood, Texas imposed the prison term Saturday on Specialist Charles Graner. After Graner serves his jail term, he will be dishonorably discharged from the Army.
During the sentencing phase of his trial Saturday, Graner said civilian contractors and military intelligence agents told him to do the things that he is seen doing in photographs of prisoner abuse at the Baghdad prison.
On Friday, the 10-man military jury rejected defense arguments that Graner and other guards were following orders when they roughed up detainees. The jury convicted Graner on several counts of conspiracy, dereliction of duty, maltreatment, aggravated assault and indecent acts.
Prosecutors argued that the 36-year-old reservist took pleasure in seeing prisoners suffer.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.