Tag: torture

Kiss the Era of Human Rights Goodbye

Recently, in a Washington Post op-ed, Mark Danner wrote: "However much we would like the [torture] scandal to be confined to the story of what was done in those isolated rooms on the other side of the world where interrogators plied their arts, and in the air-conditioned government offices where officials devised ‘legal’ rationales, the … Continue reading “Kiss the Era of Human Rights Goodbye”

Calls for Torture Inquiry Aren’t Going Away

A coalition of 19 human rights, faith-based and justice organizations is calling on President Barack Obama to investigate torture they charge was sanctioned by the administration of former President George W. Bush. The group, led by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), is proposing both a special prosecutor and an "independent, non-partisan commission to … Continue reading “Calls for Torture Inquiry Aren’t Going Away”

The Wrong Argument Over Torture

The calls currently heard for an independent commission to investigate America’s use of torture in George Bush’s war on terror usually argue that a congressional investigation, or a straightforward criminal investigation under the authority of the Department of Justice, would become so politicized, or be so widely subjected to partisan attack, as to be hopelessly … Continue reading “The Wrong Argument Over Torture”

Court Reins in ‘State Secrets’ Privilege

In what may become a landmark decision, a federal appeals court ruled Monday that the "state secrets privilege" – routinely used by the government to block lawsuits against its officials – can only be used to contest specific evidence, but not to dismiss an entire suit. The ruling, which was hailed by human rights advocates, … Continue reading “Court Reins in ‘State Secrets’ Privilege”