The following statement was delivered during the 29th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, on June 24, 2015. It was jointly submitted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Argentina's Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS), the Brazilian Conectas Direitos Humanos, and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), and is supported by 100 human rights organizations around the world.
New call from national and international rights groups on the need to ensure accountability for the U.S. CIA Torture Program
Mr. President, this statement is delivered on behalf of 100 organizations from all over the world.
Last December, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released the summary of its investigation into the Detention and Interrogation Program operated by the CIA. Since then, the international human rights community has reiterated the call for full transparency and accountability for this unlawful program, in which systematic human rights violations were committed.
Last month, during the US’ UPR, several States raised the issue of accountability and reparations for abuses in the context of the U.S. counter-terrorism policies and practices. They also emphasized the need to end indefinite detention and close Guantánamo.
On Friday, the world will mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The U.S.’s failure to hold accountable those responsible for the CIA torture program, ensure the victims’ rights to truth and reparations, and guarantee non-repetition is a serious blow to the international human rights system and the global effort to eradicate torture and enforced disappearance, in particular.
During its next session, the Council will adopt the UPR report on the U.S. The Council should send a strong message against impunity for torture and enforced disappearances and demand that the United States meet the full spectrum of its international obligations, including declassification of the full Senate report, independent comprehensive criminal investigation, and the issuing of apologies and compensation to victims.
The struggle for truth and accountability for human rights violations can be a long and difficult journey. Yet the US has much to gain from rejecting impunity, returning to the rule of law, and providing adequate redress to those brutally abused by the CIA program.
Submitted by:
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
Conectas Direitos Humanos
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
Endorsed by
Abogadas y Abogados para la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos, A. C
Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo
Acción Solidaria en VIH/Sida
Advocates for U.S. Torture Prosecutions
African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies
Ágora Espacio Civil Paraguay
Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic, Yale Law School
Appeal for Justice
Asociación de Familiares de Presos y Desaparecidos Saharauis
Asociación MINGA
Asociación para la Prevención de la Tortura
Asociación Pro derechos Humanos
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Justice and Accountability
Center for Victims of Torture
Centre for Human Rights
Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres, A. C.
Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.”
Centro de Políticas Públicas y Derechos Humanos
Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional
Centro Regional de Derechos Humanos y Justicia de Género – Corporación Humanas
Civilis Derechos Humanos
Colectivo de Abogados "José Alvear Restrepo"
Coletivo PESO/Periferia Soberana
Comisión de Justicia y Paz
Comisión Ecuménica de Derechos Humanos
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
Consultoría para los Derechos Humanos y el Desplazamiento
Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos
Corporación Sisma Mujer
Defensa de Niñas y Niños- Internacional
Diyarbakir Bar Association
Due Process of Law Foundation
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
Four Freedoms Forum & Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights
Fundación Myrna Mack
Fundar. Centro de Análisis e Investigación A.C
Gillis Long Poverty Law Center – Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Global Justice Clinic, NYU School of Law
Grupo de Mujeres de San Cristóbal de las Casas
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales
Human Rights Institute of Columbia Law School
Human Rights Law Network
Human Rights Watch
Instituto Braços – Centro de Defesa de Direitos Humanos de Sergipe
Instituto Brasileiro de Ciências Criminais
Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales de Guatemala
Instituto de Estudios Legales y Sociales del Uruguay
Instituto Internacional de Derecho y Sociedad
Instituto Migrações e Direitos Humanos
Instituto Pro Bono
International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination
International Commission of Jurists
International Federation for Human Rights
International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School
International Human Rights Program, Boston University School of Law
International Justice Network
International-Lawyers
Justice Studies Department -Northeastern Illinois University
Kenya Human Rights Commission
KontraS (Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence) in Indonesia
Laboratório de Análise Política Mundial
Legal Resources Centre
Madres Linea Fundadora
Meiklejohn Civil Liberities Institute
Minority Rights Group International
Movimiento Autónomo de Mujeres
National Lawyers Guild
North Carolina Stop Torture Now
Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones
Oficina Jurídica Para la Mujer
Partnership For Justice
Paz y Esperanza
PEN American Center
Physicians for Human Rights
Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo
Programa de Pós Graduação em Segurança Pública e Direitos Humanos da Universidade Federal de Rondônia
Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos
Psychologists for Social Responsibility
Quaker House
Reprieve
Santa Clara University School of Law, International Human Rights Clinic
Seguridad en Democracia
Sociedade Maranhense de Direitos Humanos
The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
The Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance
Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) International
Unidad de Protección a Defensores y Defensoras de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala
Unión Nacional de Mujeres Guatemaltecas
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
US Human Rights Network
Women's Link Worldwide
World Organization Against Torture
