Guantánamo Hearings Continue After Supreme Court Decision Upholds Habeas Corpus Rights for Detainees Senior Associate Deborah Colson was in Guantánamo recently to monitor pre-trial hearings in the cases of two detainees, Omar Khadr and Mohammed Jawad, who were each brought to Guantánamo as juveniles and have alleged they were tortured.  Read about her observations on the Huffington Post. The hearings are the first to be held after the Supreme Court ruled that detainees have the right to challenge their detention in federal courts. Read the press statement on the Supreme Court decision here.

06/26/08

Arraignment of September 11 Defendants Senior Associate Sahr MuhammedAlly is in Guantánamo to monitor the arraignment of the five September 11 defendants and the pre-trial hearing of Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi on June 5. Read her observations on the Guantánamo blog and on JURIST.

06/03/08

Supreme Court Upholds Due Process for Guantanamo Prisoners Terrorist Cases should be Tried in Federal Courts Read the press statement here

06/12/08

Campaign to End Torture Does Not End With Mukasey Confirmation Read Statement Sign HRF petition to presidential candidates calling for an end to torture and abusive interrogation

11/12/07

Pre-Trial Hearings Continue in Detainee Cases at Guantánamo Senior Associate Sahr MuhammedAlly was in Cuba to monitor the cases of Omar Ahmed Khadr, Mohammed Jawad, and Ali Hamza Ahmed Sulayman al Bahlul. Read her observations on the Guantánamo blog and here on JURIST.

05/06/08

Human Rights First Supports Senate Bill on Ending Secret Prisons Read Statement Background on the CIA Secret Detention Program Read the Report

05/02/08

Boycotts Continue in Detainee Cases at Guantánamo Sharon Kelly, Elect to End Torture ’08 Campaign Manager, recently monitored the cases of Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi and Mohammed Kamin. Proceedings were postponed in the case of Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi. Read Sharon’s observations on the Huffington Post.

05/22/08

Detainee Boycotts Trial at Guantánamo, Former Prosecutor Testifies In His Defense Senior Associate Deborah Colson was in Guantánamo to observe the case of Salim Ahmed Hamdan.   Read Deborah’s posts from Guantánamo:   Another Boycott at Guantánamo, Another Test for the Military Commission System   Salim Ahmed Hamdan and Col. Morris Davis, v. Military Commission System

05/1/08

HRF and other Advocates Urge Release of Report on Removal to Torture Read letter to the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, and DHS Inspector General Richard Skinner urging for the release of a new report on how U.S. officials came to remove Canadian citizen Maher Arar to Syria where he was detained for 10 months and subjected to torture.

04/25/08

Report: U.S. Contributes to Afghan Fair Trial Violations Press Release Executive Summary PDF | HTML > In Dari > In Pashto Full Report PDF (PDF -734KB)| HTML > In Dari Afghanistan’s Guantánamo: Unfair Trials Exported By Sahr MuhammedAlly Published in Jurist Watch video

04/10/08

Release of 2003 Torture Memo Critical First Step in Accountability Accountability for past violations is crucial to deterring future violations Read Statement

04/02/08

Guantánamo: It All Seems So Normal Frank Kendall â€” Human Rights First volunteer consultant — was in Cuba to monitor the cases  of Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi, Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi, Omar Ahmed Khadr, Ali Hamza Ahmed Sulayman al Bahlul. Read Frank's posts from Guantanamo:

04/14/08 - Updated

New Report: Tortured Justice Using Coerced Evidence to Prosecute Terrorist Suspects Read Press Release Read Full Report PDF (PDF -721KB)  | HTML Download chart of detainees who allege they were abused in custody (PDF -72KB) Read the press conference transcript

03/10/08

Broad Opposition to President Bush's Veto of Ban on Torture Read More: The Overwhelming Opposition to the President's Torture Ban Veto Read HRF Statement

03/09/08

Congress Votes to Enforce Ban on Torture Read Statement Read letter signed by 44 retired military leaders supporting legislation (PDF -71KB)

Updated 02/28/08

Latest Hearings at Guantanamo Expose Critical Flaws in System for Trying Terror Suspects Read Senior Associate Deborah Colson's blog Read case summaries on Omar Khadr and Salim Hamdan Read letters to Canadian Prime Minister Harper and U.S. Secretary of Defense Gates, seeking action to have Khadr treated in accordance with international standards for care and rehabilitation of child soldiers, rather than prosecution as an adult.

02/11/08 - Updated

Fact Check: Attorney General Mukasey and Waterboarding Read Human Rights First's response to Attorney General Mukasey's Jan. 30 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Read Press Release

02/01/08

White House Agrees to Support McCain Amendment: Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment to Be Banned Press Statement: HRF Applauds Final McCain Language Press Release: House Votes Overwhelmingly in Favor of McCain Amendment

12/15/05 - Updated

New Report: Private Security Contractors at War Human Rights First Report Details Risk to Mission from "Culture of Impunity" Press Release Listen to Press Conference - Streaming Audio | Download (MP3 - 18MB) Executive Summary Full Report (PDF -4MB) More About Private Security Contractors

01/16/08 - Updated

Retired Admirals and Generals Speak Out on Interrogation and Torture Read news coverage of Florida event Watch ABC news clip of South Carolina event Watch video of retired military leaders speaking out against torture Sign petition

01/24/08 - Updated

Padilla Sentenced to 17 Years for Terrorist Conspiracies Read post-sentencing update about the case Padilla Verdict Shows Criminal Justice System Can Deal with Terrorism

01/24/08 - Updated

Criminal Investigation of CIA Tape Destruction Not Enough Read Statement Read HRF analysis of impact on prosecutions Timeline of related events

01/03/08 - Updated

HRF Tells House Judiciary Committee: Cruel Interrogations Are Illegal Read Testimony by HRF Washington Director Elisa Massimino

12/20/07

Military Commission Finds Combatant Status Tribunals Not Competent for POW Status Determination The Military Commission ruling in the Salim Hamdan case makes clear: the Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRTs) invented by the government neither satisfies nor addresses the Geneva Conventions’ requirement to determine whether a person is entitled under the Conventions to prisoner of war (PoW) protections. Read More

12/19/07

Supreme Court Hearing in Boumediene v. Bush Six Years without Judicial Review: CSRTs Not an Adequate Substitute for Habeas Review Chronology of Denial of Habeas Corpus Guantanamo at a Glance HRF Amicus Brief in Boumediene v. Bush (PDF-248KB)

12/03/07

Military Commission Hearings of Salim Ahmed Hamdan Read Senior Associate Sahr MuhammedAlly’s blog from Guantanamo on the Hamdan hearings What is an "enemy combatant?" Read more about military commissions

12/03/07

Retired Generals, Admirals Meet With Presidential Candidates on Torture, Prisoner Treatment Policies 15 Retired Flag and General Officers Meet with Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Huckabee, Obama, Richardson Read Press Release

12/04/07

Concerns about Impartiality and Access to Evidence Arise at Military Commission Hearing Read Associate Attorney Devon Chaffee's blog from Guantanamo Read about military commissions

11/12/07 - Updated

Testing the Limits of Executive Power to Detain Al-Saleh Kahlah al-Marri Learn More

10/02/07

Gonzales Resignation an Opportunity to End Policy of Official Cruelty Read HRF Statement

08/27/07

Guantanamo Detainees Ask U.S. Supreme Court to Restore Habeas Right to Challenge Detention HRF Co-Counsel to Diverse Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations in Support of Detainees Read the Coalition's Friend of Court Brief (PDF -290KB) Read more about the Guantanamo Detention Cases

08/25/06

American Bar Association Opposes President's Interrogation Program for CIA National lawyers' group adopts resolution urging Congress to override President's executive order authorizing CIA use of "enhanced interrogations" methods Read the draft ABA resolution Read the draft ABA report Read "Leave No Marks": A new report issued by Human Rights First and Physicians for Human Rights Tell Congress: No CIA Exceptions on Torture

08/15/07 - Updated

Retired USMC Major General Asks the Candidates About Detainee Policies Watch a video submitted to the YouTube/CNN debates by Major General Fred Haynes, USMC (Ret.), asking for the candidates' views on the issues of closing Guantanamo, eliminating secret CIA prisons, and halting extraordinary rendition.

07/23/07

Executive Order on CIA Interrogation Methods Leaves Door Open to Torture Read HRF Statement Tell Congress: No CIA Exceptions on Torture Read HRF Letter to Congressional Intelligence Committees Urging Investigation into Legality of Order (PDF-90KB)

07/26/07 - Updated

Time to Close Guantanamo What the U.S. Must Do to Get Its House in Order Supreme Court Takes Guantanamo Detainee Case

07/18/07 - Updated

Justice Scalia Comments on Jack Bauer and the TV show '24' HRF Encourages Justice Scalia to Reconsider Learn More About Torture on TV

06/27/07

HRF Tells Helsinki Commission: International Law Applies to Guantanamo Detainees What the U.S. must do to get its house in order Read Testimony

06/21/07

Army Report Faults Inadequate Policy Guidance for Abuses By Special Forces in Iraq Army Report (PDF) Read HRF's Report on Failings of Pentagon Investigations (PDF) More on the Case for an Independent Commission

06/20/06

U.S. Appeals Court Rejects Administration's Claimed Ability to Declare Civilian an "Enemy Combatant" for Indefinite Military Detention Ruling a "Powerful Vindication" of Courts' Role Read Human Rights First Statement Read more about the case

06/11/07

Military Commission Dismissals Show Guantanamo System's Fundamental Flaws Read Associate Attorney Priti Patel's blog on the dismissals at Guantanamo Read about military commissions

06/08/07 - Updated

Latest Guantanamo Death Another Sign of Policy Failure Read HRF Statement

05/31/07

HRF Commends Letter Against Torture by Iraq Commander Petraeus His Message to Troops "Important and Meaningful" to Civilians Too Read HRF Letter to Gen. Petraeus Gen. Petraeus's Message to Troops

06/05/07 - Updated

HRF Replies to Former CIA Director George Tenet HRF President Mike Posner says "enhanced" interrogation techniques violate the law, do more harm than good Click here to read his response

05/04/07

Human Rights First Provides Congress With Proposal for Treatment and Trial of Guantanamo Detainees Read March 29 Testimony

05/04/07

Limits on Guantanamo Lawyers Would be a Step Back into Legal Abyss N.Y. Times: Court Asked to Limit Lawyers at Guantanamo (external link) More about Guantanamo

04/26/07

Guantanamo Hunger Strikes: 'Symptoms of a Failed System' HRF Statement HRF Tells Congress: Guantanamo Policy "Doubly Pernicious" Read March 29 Testimony Read more about Guantanamo Bay detainees

04/10/07

First Conviction of Guantanamo Detainee Under New Rules Not Full, Fair or Transparent HRF Statement on Plea Agreement of David Hicks Read updates by HRF observer who was in Guantanamo Military Commissions Background HRF Tells Congress: Guantanamo Policy "Doubly Pernicious" Read March 29 Testimony

04/1/07 - Updated

Ruling in Rumsfeld Torture Case 'Leaves a Gap' in Accountability Human Rights First and ACLU express disappointment at dismissal Press Release

03/28/07

New House Bill would Ban U.S. Renditions to Torture HRF Letter in Support (PDF-93KB)

03/06/07

Yet Again U.S. Special Forces Escape Criminal Punishment for Torture and Death of Afghan Detainees HRF Statement

01/29/07

Military Commission Rules for Detainee Trials Fall Short of Fair Standards HRF calls for congressional hearings Statement Read HRF's Analysis of the Rules (PDF-106KB) Military commissions background

01/29/07 - Updated

HRF Welcomes the Apology of Charles D. Stimson for His Remarks Against Lawyers Representing Detainees Held at Guantanamo Bay Statement

01/17/07

"Enemy Combatant" Held in U.S. Challenges Indefinite Government Detention More About the Case HRF's Friend of the Court Brief on Why the Government's Proposals Violate International Human Rights Law

12/13/06

First Court Hearing in Landmark Case Against Rumsfeld Press Release More on the Case Against Rumsfeld

12/08/06

Only "Enemy Combatant" Held in U.S. Seeks His Day in Court Read more about the case Read Human Rights First's Friend of Court Brief

11/21/06

Human Rights First Welcomes Resignation of Defense Secretary Rumsfeld Read Statement Where Are They Now? US Officials Involved in Torture Scandal

11/09/06 -Updated

Military Commissions Act Faces Court Challenge More on Guantanamo Detention Cases More on the Military Commissions Act

11/13/06

President Signs Military Commissions Act; Human Rights First Urges Congressional Vigilance Questions and Answers About the Military Commissions Act Press Release Read More

10/24/06 - Updated

New Concerns About Due Process and Rule of Law Surface in Last-Minute Changes to Military Commissions Act Congress Should Reject Ill-Considered Legislation More Information

09/26/06 - Updated

Retired Admirals and Generals - Including Five Former Joint Chiefs - Urge Congress to Preserve Geneva Conventions Letter from 49 Retired Military Leaders  /  Letter from Gen. Charles C. Krulak  /  Letter from Gen. H. Hugh Shelton /  Press Release 9/11 Families Oppose Administration Efforts to Undermine Geneva Conventions (PDF -11KB) / Signatory Info (PDF -12KB) / Press Release (PDF -13KB)  More Information

09/29/06 - Updated

Human Rights First Statement on the Fifth Anniversary of September 11 HRF Statement

09/08/06

CIA Contractor Guilty Of Abusing Detainee Clear Guidance Needed to Prevent More Abuse in U.S. Custody Press Statement Read LA Times Op-Ed "The CIA Torture Loophole" by Priti Patel

08/18/06 - Updated

In Sweeping Victory for Rule of Law, Supreme Court Rejects Guantanamo Military Commissions Press Release HRF Critique of the Military Commissions (PDF-344KB) More on Military Commissions Read "Advantage, Rule of Law" by Deborah Pearlstein

06/30/06 - Updated

Human Rights First Calls Guantanamo Detention Center Policy an Invitation to Disaster Press Release Read About Military Commissions

06/10/06

Pentagon's Role in Question in Abu Ghraib Dog Handler Trial Dog Handler Convicted of Abu Ghraib Abuse At the Trial: HRF Monitor's Blog HRF's Landmark Report: Command's Responsibility for Detainee Deaths  Commanders Implicated in Abuse: Where Are They Now

06/02/06 - Updated

UN Anti-Torture Experts Urge United States to Stop Illegal Conduct Media Alert UN Committee Report HRF Responds to U.S. Positions Before the UN Committee Against Torture More on Convention Against Torture

05/19/06 - Updated

Groundbreaking Research Shows Over 600 U.S. Personnel Implicated in Widespread Abuse Briefing paper on comprehensive accounting of torture and abuse in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Media Alert

04/26/06

Supreme Court Declines, For Now, to Review Enemy Combatant Case HRF's Statement on the Decision About Jose Padilla's Case

04/03/06

Command Role Still in Question After Dog Handler Guilty Verdict Press Release At the Trial: HRF Monitor's Blog HRF's Landmark Report: Command's Responsibility for Detainee Deaths Commanders Implicated in Abuse: Where Are They Now? Tell President: Torture Should Not Be Tolerated

03/21/06 - Updated

Military Trials Resume Amidst Growing Concerns Over Guantanamo Military Commissions Overview Daily Reports from HRF's Monitor at the Base More on Guantanamo Bay

03/02/06 - Updated

House Whistleblower Hearings Shed New Light on Command Response to Reports of Torture and Abuse Read Testimony from Abu Ghraib Whistleblower Sgt. Sam Provance (PDF -125KB) Read HRF’s Report on Flaws in Investigations to Date (PDF-400KB)

02/14/06

Human Rights First Disappointed in Latest Failure of Congressional Oversight on U.S. Torture Practices Read Human Rights First's Latest Statement

02/09/06

Deteriorating Health of Guantanamo Hunger Strikers Raises Growing Cause for Concern Read Human Rights First’s Latest Statement

02/09/06

Domestic Spying Hearings Challenge Sweeping Claims of Executive Power Read HRF's Deborah Pearlstein on Why Unlimited Executive Power is Bad for National Security

02/06/06

Retired Military Leaders Say Implement McCain Torture Ban Media Alert Letter from Retired Military to the President HRF Letter on Key Steps to Make Sure Intent of Congress Is Realized

01/19/06

Human Rights First Disappointed with Lack of Accountability in Case of Detainee Death in U.S. Custody Media Alert Read HRF’s trial monitoring journal

01/24/06 - Updated

President Bush Signs Amendment Banning Abusive Interrogation Techniques HRF Applauds Passage of McCain Ban on Abuse Joint Statement on the McCain Anti-Torture Amendment Prohibitions (PDF-24KB) "Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading" What the McCain Amendment Bans (PDF-16KB)

12/22/05

Human Rights First Urges Supreme Court to Review U.S. Citizen’s Indefinite Detention Amicus Brief filed by Human Rights First in Support of Padilla Read HRF Statement Read more on Padilla

12/19/05 - Updated

New Senate Amendment Treats Symptom -- Not Cause -- of Legal Problems for Guantanamo Detainees Read Human Rights First Statement on Graham/Levin Amendment Read statement of Sen. Specter (R-PA) on the Graham amendment (PDF-17KB) Read letter from Ret. Rear Admiral John Hutson to Sen. Specter opposing the Graham Amendment (PDF-371KB)

11/15/2005 - Updated

Human Rights First Welcomes Supreme Court Review of Military Commissions Media Alert Read HRF Brief Seeking Court Review Read about Military Commissions

11/08/05

HRF Welcomes DOJ Nominee Withdrawal HRF had expressed concerns to the Senate (PDF - 65KB) Read "Where Are They Now?"

10/07/05 - Updated

Guantanamo Bay Hunger Strikes Deeply Troubling Media Alert Read HRF Friend of the Court Brief on Physical and Psychological Effects of Detention (PDF-1.5MB)

09/30/05 - Updated

Lawyers Challenging Military Commissions Seek Supreme Court Judgment
Amicus Brief filed by Human Rights First in Support of Hamdan
(PDF-870KB) Read HRF Statement Ruling of US Court of Appeals (external link) Amicus Brief Filed by Human Rights First and others before judgment (PDF-1.6MB) (Updated 09/08/05)

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HRF Calls Investigation on FBI Allegations of Abuse at Guantanamo Another Whitewash
Read HRF Statement (07/14/05)

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Human Rights First Calls on Congress to Create an Independent Commission
On Friday, June 10, Deborah Pearlstein, Director of the U.S. Law and Security Program, testified before the House Judiciary Committee on the need for greater accountability and policy changes in the wake of worldwide detainee abuse.

• Read Pearlstein's testimony (PDF-15KB)

• Watch the hearing on C-SPAN (external link)

Join Human Rights First in Calling for an Independent Commission on Torture (06/15/05)

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Torture: A Pattern of Abuse

• Senior Leaders Responsible
  for Torture: Where Are
  They Now?

• Fact Sheet

• Read "Just Shut it Down" by Tom Friedman (New York Times registration required)

(05/27/05)

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In Their Own Words: Detainees Tell of Degradation of Religious Beliefs at Guantanamo
Media Alert
(05/19/05)

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Senior Officials Not Held Accountable for Torture

• Where Are They Now?
  

• Watch 'One Year After Abu Ghraib'

• One Year After Abu Ghraib: Human Rights First Assessment

Urge Congress to Establish an Independent Commission on Torture

(Updated: 05/09/05)

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Former State Department Legal Adviser Says Torture and Abuse was Predictable; Blames Decision to Deny Geneva Protections
“This unsought conclusion unhinged those responsible for the treatment of the detainees in Guantanamo from legal guidelines for interrogation of detainees reflected in the Conventions, and embodied in the Army Field Manual for decades. Set adrift in uncharted waters, and under pressure from their leaders to develop information on the plans and practices of al-Qaeda, it was predictable that those managing the interrogation would eventually go too far, and news reports now indicate that, from time to time, that happened.”
Read Former State Department Official William Taft’s March 24, 2005 American University Washington College of Law Speech In Its Entirety (PDF-24KB)
(04/04/05)

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Human Rights First, Military Leaders and ACLU Sue Defense Secretary Rumsfeld Over U.S. Torture Policies
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld bears direct responsibility for the torture and abuse of detainees in U.S. custody, Human Rights First, the ACLU and military leaders charged, in the first federal court lawsuit to name a top U.S. official in the ongoing torture scandal in Afghanistan and Iraq. The lawsuit was filed March 1, 2005 and announced at a press conference in Washington, DC. More» Read the press release ARABIC VERSION (PDF 157KB) Read Mike Posner's statement View the timeline of facts in
the case (PDF 140KB) More on the Case Against Secretary Rumsfeld (03/01/05)

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Human Rights First Calls for Full Examination of CIA Interrogation Practices
Media Alert
Report on secret detentions
Report on previous investigations (PDF-401KB)
(03/23/05)

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New Legal Brief Urges Supreme Court to Uphold U.S. International Legal Obligations, Advance Respect for Rule of Law

On January 24, Human Rights First and fifteen other leading human rights organizations and bar associations submitted a ‘friends of the court’ brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in Medellin v. Dretke, arguing that the United States has a binding obligation to comply its international legal obligations.
Read Human Rights First’s Statement and Other Briefs Filed in Medellin v. Dretke
Bar Associations and Human Rights Organizations’ Amicus Brief in Medellin v. Dretke as filed 1/24/05
(PDF-260KB)
(Updated 03/23/05)

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U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Indefinite Detention of Foreign Nationals