Rights Group Calls on Congress to Investigate Abuse and Torture Against Detainees

According to a press release from the American Civil Liberties Union, the rights group re-issued its call Monday to congress to investigate the torture and abuse of detainees. The rights group issued the call in preparation for the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention Against Torture which will occur on Tuesday.

The Convention Against Torture went in to effect in 1987, however it was not ratified by the United States until 1994. The convention specifically bans participating countries from inflicting physical or mental torture and other degradations and abuse on the detainees in their custody.

According to the ACLU's press release, the Advocacy Director of the ACLU's Human Rights Program Jamil Dakwar stated: "It is a sad commentary that on a day that used to be about calling on rogue countries to stop the practice of torture and abuse, Americans cannot at least hold their heads up high in the knowledge that their own government has behaved according to international legal and moral standards.", in regard to the call for action.

"It is time for Congress to finally thoroughly investigate the chain of command that allowed this to happen, and to also make sure that the victims of these disgraceful actions have a proper avenue for redress." Dakwar added.

The United States received criticism in 2006 from the United Nations Committee Against Torture due to U.S. policies that allowed detainees to be tortured and abused, according to the ACLU's press release.

The ACLU has requested that Congress form a bi-partisan commission that would lead an independent inquiry in to the treatment of detainees currently being held by the United States. The proposed commission would specifically investigate torture and other abuses against detainees.

The ACLU claims that it has received documents, by means of the Freedom of Information Act, that details torture and other abuses used against detainees including: water-boarding, starvation, exposure to extreme temperatures, beatings, threats, forced nudity via stripping and sexual humiliations. The documents also indicated that the guards used dogs to intimidate detainees. The group wishes for instances of these abuses and the policies that allowed them to occur to be thoroughly investigated by Congress.

The commission would also investigate the controversial extraordinary rendition program that allows intelligence agents to transport detainees to other countries where they can be tortured. This program operates in direct contrast to the Convention Against Torture which specifically bans such activity.

According to the press release, the rights group was careful to point out that the abuses occurring are not limited to detainees in the War on Terror but also extend to prisoners in the United States prison system. The group noted instances of prison rape, and use of restraints and tasers that put prisoners in danger.

The Director of the ACLU Prison Project, Elizabeth Alexander stated: "Too often, the women, men, and children in our nation's prisons are exposed to appalling living conditions and grossly inadequate medical care and are not protected from sexual abuse and the dangerous use of electroshock and other weapons. Moreover, federal law often makes it difficult to redress many of these human rights violations." according to the ACLU's press release.

Sources:
The American Civil Liberties Union