[Ppnews] NLG statement today on torture investigation

[Political Prisoner News]

From: <mailto:steinnlgchicago at yahoo.com>Nick Stein
Subject: [NLGchicago] NLG statement today on torture investigation

<http://nlg.org/news/index.php?entry=entry070927-072308>http://nlg.org/news/index.php?entry=entry070927-072308

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 9, 2007

NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD CALLS FOR APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL INDEPENDENT 
COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE BUSH POLICIES THAT AMOUNT TO TORTURE

Contact: Marjorie Cohn, NLG President, <mailto:marjorie at tjsl. 
edu>marjorie at tjsl. edu; 858-204-3565
    Heidi Boghosian, NLG Executive Director, <mailto:director at nlg. 
org>director at nlg. org; 212 679-5100 x.11

In February 2005, the Justice Department issued a secret opinion 
endorsing the harshest interrogation techniques the CIA has ever 
used, according to an October 4, 2007 report in the New York Times.
The National Lawyers Guild calls for the appointment of a special 
prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration' s authorization of 
aggressive interrogation techniques, including simulated drowning 
known as water boarding, exposing detainees to frigid temperatures, 
and head-slapping. While the Bush administration on Friday asserted 
that it did not approve torture techniques, and refused to make 
public classified  Justice Department legal opinions, the New York 
Times reported that two secret Justice Department opinions in 2005 
explicitly permitted the use of  painful physical and psychological 
techniques.  The authorized techniques amount to torture, and are 
unlawful in all circumstances, even in time of war. The Convention 
Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or 
Punishment provides: "No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, 
whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political in 
stability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a 
justification of torture."  The Torture Convention is a treaty 
ratified by the United States and therefore part of U.S. law under 
the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.

Torture is a war crime. Those who commit or order torture can be 
convicted under the U.S. War Crimes Statute.  Techniques that don't 
rise to the level of torture but constitute cruel, inhuman or 
degrading treatment or punishment also violate U.S. law. Congress 
should provide for the appointment of a special independent counsel 
to fully investigate and prosecute all who are complicit in the 
torture and mistreatment of prisoners in U.S. custody.

Founded in 1937 as an alternative to the American Bar Association 
which did not admit people of color, the National Lawyers Guild is 
the oldest and largest public interest/human rights bar organization 
in the United States. Its headquarters are in New York and it has 
chapters in every state.
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