From the Archive
December Newsletter
Torture Report Released: The US tortured. The CIA lied. Will there be accountability?
The Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on the CIA’s interrogation and detention program was released on Tuesday. The findings are horrifying. Detainees were forced to stand on broken limbs, deprived of sleep for up to 180 hours, and subject to “rectal feeding.” There were mock executions and threats to kill and rape family members. One man froze to death and another was shackled to walls and literally forgotten about.
The report concludes that this torture did not stop a single terrorist attack and that the CIA lied to congress, the news media, and even the White House about the techniques used in the interrogations and the “efficacy” of the program. Finally, the report focuses only on a narrow slice of the US’s brutal, global counter-terrorism program, which tortured far more people than the detained men profiled in the study.
Despite the clear commission of crimes by the CIA, its contractors, and the high-level officials — including George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld — who designed or authorized the program, the Obama administration continues to refuse to hold anyone accountable for state torture.
To read more news on the report click below:
The Guardian
The Washington Post
The whole 500 page Executive Summary
Six men released from Guantánamo: 136 Remain
We are excited to announce that there were six men released to Uruguay last weekend. After 9 months of negotiations, President José Mujica and the Obama administration agreed on that Abu Wa’el Dhiab (Syria), Ahmed Adnan Ahjam (Syria), Ali Hussein al-Shaaban (Syria), Abdelhadi Faraj (Syria), Mohammed Taha Mattan (Palestine), Abdul Bin Mohammed Abis Ourgy (Tunisia) will resettle there as refugees. We will continue to keep them in our prayers and thoughts as they transition out of cells of Guantanamo into the fresh air of freedom. For more information on the release, click here.
These releases bring us one step closer to shuddering the prison. However, 136 people remain. 68 have been cleared for release. 58 are “forever” detainees. 10 detainees are in the Military Commission system.
You’re invited to the January Fast For Justice: January 5th thru the 13th
Join the Witness Against Torture community as we gather in Washington, DC to remember the opening of the prison camp in Guantánamo. This January 11th, 2015, marks the beginning of 14 years of torture and indefinite detention. Right now, 136 men remain, half of whom have been cleared for release but remain held without charge or trial. The administration will not disclose how many of them continue to hunger strike and how many are force-fed.
We celebrate the freedom of those recently released. Yet, we must continue to pressure the Obama administration to fulfill its promise to finally shut down the prison and charge or release all those detained.
We invite you to come to D.C. as our community gathers from Monday, January 5th until Tuesday January 13th, to fast in solidarity with the men at Guantánamo, especially those who remain on hunger strike, and to use our creative energy to encourage citizens and government officials in Washington, DC to see the humanity of the men in Guantánamo and call for the closure of the prison.
We will continue to struggle until all those unjustly detained are free.
If you can only come for a day or two, consider joining us for the major events with our coalition partners:
Saturday, January 10th: Institutionalized Brutality and Torture: Guantanamo to Ferguson (Evening Panel Discussion Location TBA)
Sunday, January 11th 1pm: Rally to close Guantanamo at the White House followed by a March to the Department of Justice.
Monday, January 12th: Witness Against Torture’s Nonviolent Direct Action. Sign up to be ONE of SIXTY-EIGHT?
We shut down a Federal Court when the courts refused to allow the men from Guantanamo in.
We held a memorial in the Capitol Rotunda for men who had died at Guantanamo.
We shut down the United States Supreme Court calling for justice for men in Guantanamo.
We have lined the sidewalk in front of the White House hundreds of times, in orange jumpsuits and black hoods.
We took over the Museum of American History imploring “Make Guantanamo History!”
This year,
as 136 men remain in Guantanamo,
as we enter the 14th year of the prisons existence,
as 68 men are cleared for release…
We are looking for 68 people to join us on January 12th.
Please RSVP or contact us for more Information at witnesstorture@gmail.com.
News from our Partner Organizations:
Please help spread the word on the new “We Stand With Shaker.” site launched by Andy Worthington and friends. Support them by taking a photo with a sign that reads “I Stand with Shaker.” Submit your photos here.
The film “Waiting for Fahd” is now live at Center for Constitutional Rights! It’s only 15 minutes long and very important to watch. Please spend the time to hear the wordsfrom his family and then share his story on social media. Fahd was captured at age 17, and cleared by both the Bush and Obama administration. He remains in Guantanamo.
Witness Against Torture on Social Media:
Please “like us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter & Instagram
Check out our latest news and updates on Tumblr.
Post any pictures of your local activities to our flicker account and we will help spread the word.
Donate to support our work:
Witness Against Torture is completely volunteer driven and run. We have no paid staff, but do have expenses associated with our organizing work. If you are able, please donate here. www.witnesstorture.org
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