Misblog

The Washington Times is reporting that the Center for Constitutional Rights has filed a lawsuit, in Germany, naming as defendants American architects of torture¹ Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, former Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo, General Counsel of the Department of Defense William James Haynes and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.²

It is unfortunate that Americans must rely on German law in an effort to hold accountable any and all persons who have authorized, implemented or engaged in acts of torture. Unfortunately, the recently enacted and controversial Military Commissions Act 2006 (aka In Torture We Trust Act 2006) includes language retroactively granting immunity for acts of torture.³

Any and all authorizers of torture, architects of torture, implementers of torture, and torturers must be absolutely certain they will be held accountable for their actions on a worldwide basis, for as long as they live.

Link to Misblog's:

• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-5
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-4
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-3
• 
  Who Will Stop The Torture Update-2
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-1
• Who Will Stop The Torture

Blogosphere: Rebel Blog

-----notes-----

1. The lawsuit uses the words abusive interrogation techniques. Others use the language coercive interrogation techniques. The President of the United States used the language alternative interrogation techniques.

If you are "fuzzy" about whether an inflicted physical or mental action is torture have someone perform those actions on you. It will clear up your "fuzziness" very quickly. For others it may be adequate to read a partial log of an actual Guantanamo detainee interrogation here.

2. A useful partial compilation of the memoranda authored by these individuals can be found in the "Torture Papers" compiled by Karen Greenberg.

3. Congress must repeal the Military Commissions Act 2006, in its entirety.

Technorati Tags: torture, military commissions act, military commissions act 2006, guantanamo bay, ccr, alberto gonzales, jay bybee, john yoo, william james haynes, donald rumsfeld