Congress has Spoken: Torture is Unamerican

Recently PHR’s Campaign Against Torture has made significant strides towards its goal of ending the use of torture by the US government. Last week, in a truly landmark move, Congress passed a bill effectively outlawing the use of “enhanced” interrogation techniques by the CIA, legislation that would bring all government agencies under the Army Field Manual’s standards for detainee treatment and interrogation. Though President Bush has vowed to veto the bill, it represents a crucial victory for PHR and our colleague human rights organizations. We have campaigned long and hard to achieve Congress’ repudiation of the administration’s authorization of abusive tactics.

Another step forward was the announcement by the Office of Professional Responsibility at the Department of Justice, an internal watchdog, of a probe into the legal memorandums written by the Office of Legal Counsel and other staff attorneys at the department which authorized the use of torture. PHR has long been an outspoken critic of the “torture memos,” which were strongly rebuked by PHR’s landmark report, Leave No Marks: “Enhanced” Interrogation Techniques and the Risk of Criminality.

Also, just last week, the American Psychological Association (APA) adopted recommendations made by PHR and the Coalition for an Ethical APA to amend its August 2007 resolution prohibiting psychologist participation in the techniques comprising the CIA’s “enhanced” program of interrogations. The amendments to the resolution make the prohibitions against the use of isolation, sensory deprivation, and sleep deprivation clear and unequivocal.

Thank you to all the PHR members who have been such an essential part of the Campaign Against Torture’s success in challenging and changing current US interrogation policy.

Sincerely,

Frank Donaghue
Chief Executive Officer
Physicians for Human Rights

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