After September 11, 2001, U.S. officials authorized the cruel treatment and torture of prisoners held in Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo, and the CIA's secret prisons overseas.

This database documents the U.S. government's official experiment with torture. At present, the database contains well over 100,000 pages of government documents obtained primarily through Freedom of Information Act litigation and requests filed by the ACLU, and through litigation of Salim v. Mitchell, a lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of the survivors and the family of a dead victim of the CIA torture program. To learn more about the database, please read the About and Search Help pages. If you're a developer, you can also access this data through our API.

Search Result (41)

RelevanceDateRelease Date
Mar. 11, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3848
Email from Todd F. Buchwald, the opening of the email is completely redacted, but included is a press release entitled "Statement of Senator Edward M. Kennedy on pending nomination of William Haynes." In the press release, Senator Kennedy ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Todd F. Buchwald
JoAnn J. Dolan | Joshua L. Dorosin | Waldo W. Brooks | Theresa K. Mitchell
Todd F. Buchwald, Monica J. Tillery, JoAnn J. Dolan, Joshua L. Dorosin, Waldo W. Brooks , Edward M. Kennedy, Frank E. Schmelzer , William J. Haynes, II
June 07, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4070

Emails discuss and include a Wall Street Journal article entitled "Pentagon Report Set Framework for Use of Torture: Security or Legal Factors Could Trump Restrictions, Memo to Rumsfeld Argued." The article discusses a classified ...

Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Robert K. Harris
Edward R. Cummings | Samuel M. Witten | Tom Malionek | Jonathan B. Schwartz
Donald H. Rumsfeld, George W. Bush, James T. Hill, Condoleeza Rice, Patrick Leahy, William J. Haynes, II, Thomas Malionek, William J. Gehron, Robert K. Harris, Edward R. Cummings, Samuel M. Witten, Michael G. Kozak, James H. Thessin, Jonathan B. Schwartz, William Howard Taft, IV, Robert E. Dalton, Katherine M. Gorove, Lois L. Allder, Daphne W. Cook, Darlyce M. Eley
Threat, Family/others, Stress positions, Sleep deprivation, Dietary manipulation, Nudity, Other Humiliation, Sexual, Religious
May 21, 2004 | FBI | ACLU-RDI 2877
Email forwarding another email containing two Washington Post articles about Guantanamo interrogation policies, May 21, 2004. The article states "Rumsfeld Approved Harsh Procedures At Guantanamo, Officials Say" and "FBI Chief Tells of ...
Dec. 15, 2004
Email
Janice K. Fedarcyk
Frankie Battle
Janice K. Fedarcyk, Thomas J. Harrington, Frankie Battle, Geoffrey D. Miller, Donald H. Rumsfeld, George W. Bush, Lawrence Di Rita, William J. Haynes, II, Robert S. Mueller, Patrick Leahy, Charles E. Schumer
Nov. 04, 2004 | FBI | ACLU-RDI 3094
FBI Letter from T. J. Harrington to the Dept. of Defense concerning suspected mistreatment of detainees. The letter notifies DOD of three separate incidents of "highly aggressive interrogation techniques being used against detainees in ...
Dec. 15, 2004
Letter
Thomas J. Harrington
William J. Haynes, II, Marion E. Bowman, Thomas J. Harrington
Physical assault, Sexual, Stress positions, Sleep deprivation, Isolation, Other Humiliation, Sexual, Religious
May 21, 2004 | FBI | ACLU-RDI 3199
The email fowards a Washington Post article that describes the evolotion of the interrogation techniques used on detainees by the DOD. It quotes Sec. Rumsfeld spokesperson Lawrence Di Rita on the matter. It also relates a Senate Hearing where FBI ...
Dec. 15, 2004
Email
Frankie Battle
Thomas J. Harrington
Thomas J. Harrington, Frankie Battle, Robert S. Mueller, Donald H. Rumsfeld, Lawrence Di Rita, Geoffrey D. Miller, George W. Bush, William J. Haynes, II, Robert S. Mueller, Patrick Leahy, Charles E. Schumer, Janice K. Fedarcyk, Lane McCotter, John J. Armstrong
Use of water, Water dousing, Sleep deprivation, Environmental manipulation, Light or sound, Temperature
Dec. 13, 2001 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 3208
This is a letter from an attorney representing a person detained by the U.S. to FBI Director Robert Mueller. In the letter the attorney states that he has reached out to DOD General Counsel William Hayne and Attorney General Ashcroft concerning ...
Dec. 15, 2004
Letter
Robert S. Mueller
William J. Haynes, II, Donald H. Rumsfeld, John D. Ashcroft, Robert S. Mueller
Oct. 15, 2003 | ACLU-RDI 3313
Human Rights Watch claims that the detention facilities being operated by the CIA are un-lawful and requests to visit the detention facilities in Afghanistan. CIA General Counsel Scott W. Muller replies that the CIA is operating lawfully and ...
Dec. 15, 2004
Letter
George Tenet | Condoleeza Rice | Scott W. Muller
George J. Tenet, Condoleeza Rice, Donald H. Rumsfeld, Scott W. Muller, Antonio Taguba, George W. Bush, William J. Haynes, II
Nov. 16, 2001 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3659
Letter refers to an attached memo regarding the historical treatment of detainees. [Letter is not included].
Nov. 23, 2004
Letter
Evan T. Bloom
William J. Haynes, II, Todd F. Buchwald, David W. Bowker, Joshua L. Dorosin, Harry R. Melone, Eric J. Pelofsky, Mary Comfort, Andre M. Surena, David Kay, Evan T. Bloom, Edward R. Cummings
May 06, 2004 | DOJ | ACLU-RDI 2739
Fax cover sheet for a letter regarding Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison. The attached letter is redacted.
Oct. 15, 2004
Letter
Christopher A. Wray
William J. Haynes, II
William J. Haynes, II, Christopher A. Wray
May 03, 2004 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 5
Letter regarding abuse of prisoners urging government to take steps in situation. Refers to Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba's report regarding the inquiry into the abuses at Abu Ghraib.
May 18, 2004
Letter
Kenneth Roth
Condoleeza Rice
Condoleeza Rice, George J. Tenet, Antonio Taguba, William J. Haynes, II