Wednesday, May 21, 2008

No torture, No exceptions

“No Torture. No Exceptions” means:

  • Reaffirming America’s commitment to existing federal laws and international treaties that ban torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under all circumstances.

  • Renouncing all legal interpretations and executive orders that redefine torture and permit such acts as sensory or sleep deprivation, stress positions, sexual humiliation, mock executions.

  • Enforcing full transparency of information about how America treats any and all detainees held by our personnel and those in our employ anywhere in the world.

  • Rejecting and abolishing the practice of rendering detainees abroad.

  • Establishing a single standard of interrogation procedures to apply to all persons held in U.S. custody or by those under U.S. control, whether C.I.A., military, or civilian.

  • Treating our detainees as we would have others treat detained Americans.

So... hats off to Scott Horton for bringing this to my attention (and now yours) and click on the title and do your part to try to put an end to this ugly chapter in US history.

Released Detainee testifies to Congressional Committee via satellite link

Turkish born German Citizen, Murat Kurnaz told his story of five years of abuse and torture at the hands of the US at Guantanamo to a congressional committee today. He has also told his story in a book that I have heard is well worth the read (I bought it but haven't had the time to read it yet) . Click on the title to read the AP story.