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 (6709)

RelevanceDateRelease Date
State Department cable with a letter from Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper on behalf of Sec. Powell. The letter states that the men are being held in accordance with the law of war for illegal enemy combatants, but that they are being treated ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
George W. Bush, Colin L. Powell, Pierre-Richard Prosper
State Department cable providing a letter to be delivered to attorneys representing family members of certain persons being held at Guantanamo as Enemy Combatants. The letter states that the U.S. is not providing specific information on ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department talking points on 1) Isreal/Palestinians: Roadmap Progress; 2) Iraq: World Bank loans for reconstruction; 3) Iraq: Appointment of governing council President, return of Iraqi refugees, Amnesty International report on internal ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable with talking points on responding to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention opinion concerning the detention of four (4) specific persons held at Guantanamo. The U.S. respectfully disagreed with the characterization of ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Khaled Ben Mustafa, Nizar Sassi, Mourad Benchellali, Ahmad Abd al Rahman Ahmad
State Department cable with talking points in response to statements and/or on the rules relating to military judicial commissions and the rule of law in the U.S. at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. It is pointed out that ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State Department talking points on 1) Isreal/Palestinians: Roadmap Progress; 2) Iraq: World Bank loans for reconstruction; 3) Iraq: Appointment of governing council President, return of Iraqi refugees, Amnesty International report on internal ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable with a Letter from the Secretary of State Powell to a UK Member of Parliament concerning the Detention of two (2) UK citizens at Guantanamo. Sec. Powell's response gives assurances that the detainees at Guantanamo are being ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable summarizing the deliberations by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) which led to the passing of a resolution calling for improved treatment of prisoners in Afghanistan and Guantanamo. The meeting was ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department Cable Subject: Reaction to U.S. Draft Transfer Agreement on Guantanamo Detainees. The cable is entirely redacted.
State Department cable summarizing a meeting between Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Rich Greene and Principal International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) officials in preparation for June 3-4 ICRC donor support group. Issues discussed ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Richard L. Greene, Kevin Edward Moley
DOS Cable re: International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) Delivers a Verbal Request to Visit Guantanamo Detainees. The cable is completly redacted.
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Pierre-Richard Prosper, Steven A. Solomon
DOS Cable re: International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) Delivers a Verbal Note on "Rights and Duties of the U.S. as an Occupying Power. the cable is mostly redacted.
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable describing a meeting Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper had with an Ambassador of another country on May 7, 2003. The Ambassador for the foreign government requested that his citizens be released from Guantanamo, and Amb. ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Ronald W. Miller, JoAnn J. Dolan
All REDACTED
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Kevin Edward Moley
State Department cable with talking points for Sec. of State Powell's presentation remarks to the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and Permanent Council Meeting in response to the comments of the EU Foreign Minister concerning the U.S. dentention ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State department cable with a response to the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights issuing of a report critical of the U.S. in its handling of terror suspects, specifically keeping detainees at Guantanamo. The response is in the name ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable to U.S. Missions and Embassies with talking points on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. The cable details the efforts the U.S. has made to ensure that civilians are not adversely impacted and that all persons are treated ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable concerning a meeting with Saudi officials where they discussed Iraq; the Guantanamo detainees; and Kuwaitis streaming in to Saudi Arabia. The Saudis expressed concern over the occupation of Iraq because Iraqi sovereignty is ...
State department cable concerning a visit to Stockholm by Amb. Pierre-Richard Prosper. Amb. Prosper met with senior Swedish officials and refuted arguments that U.S. acting outside international law because the detainees are unlawful or illegal ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Pierre-Richard Prosper
State Department cable announcing authorization to enter in to talks with other governments to take or receive their own citizens that are Guantanamo detainees for detention and potential prosecution in their home country. The cable is otherwise ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Richard Lee Armitage
State Department cable announcing authorization to enter in to talks with other governments to take or receive their own citizens that are Guantanamo detainees for detention and potential prosecution in their home country. The cable is otherwise ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Richard Lee Armitage
State Department cable concerning Sec. of State Powell's upcoming meeting with the Swiss Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey. Document mostly redacted.
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable concerning Ambassador Prosper's March 10-11 Visit to Copenhagen for dialogue with Danish government. Includes summary of discussions of Guantanamo detainees, dialogue with NGOs, including questions of torture. Document has ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Pierre-Richard Prosper
State Department cable requesting guidance on responding to requesting information on two (2) detainees previously turned over to the U.S. and held at Guantanamo. The Country requesting the information was the country that turned their own ...
State Department fax cover sheet from Holly Palubiak, Political Officer, U.S. Embassy, London to Ronald Miller. No comments or attachemnts.
Dec. 23, 2004
Letter
Holly Palubiak
Ronald W. Miller
Ronald W. Miller, Holly Palubiak
State Department cable forwarding on to Washington a letter received from Louis Joinet, the UN Special Rapporteur of Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concerning the deprivation of liberty at Guantanamo, and requesting information on the ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Cable
Kevin Edward Moley
This is a White House press release describing the treatment of detainees as humane and consistent with the Geneva Conventions. It states that all Guantanamo detainees are being provided: three meals a day that meet Muslim dietary laws; water; ...

Press report on Canadian Guantanamo detainee reportedly "in pain" by former Guantanamo detainee, but disputed by Canadian officials. The article is published in Globeandmail.com.

Dec. 23, 2004
Other
Omar Ahmed Khadr
DOS Cover Sheet re: Routing and Transmittal Slip with the handwritten note "looks like the ball is in petitioner's court."
White House Press Release on the Detention, Treatment, and Trial of Certain Non-Citizens in the War Against Terrorism. The memo/press release is broken in to sections that list: Findings; Definition and Policy; Orders and regulations that pertain ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Non-legal Memo, Other
George W. Bush
George W. Bush, Donald H. Rumsfeld
Daily White House Press Briefing for February 7, 2002. The Press Secretary made an opening statement and then took questions from reporters.
Dec. 23, 2004
Non-legal Memo
Ari Fleischer, George W. Bush
Fax Cover Sheet from Frank Sieverts, International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) to Edward R. Cummings. the message attached is: "For your and Will's information, here is Urs's follow-up message to Chuck Allen and to BG Jack Kern whom he saw ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Letter
Frank A. Sieverts
Edward R. Cummings
Edward R. Cummings
State Department talking points on the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) Rotational Move at Guantanamo. It concerns a report that the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) will be "pulling-out" of Guantanamo and have no ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Non-legal Memo
Edward R. Cummings, David W. Bowker, John Allen Buche
Amnesty International Paper re: Members and Supporters of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) In Camp Ashraf, Iraq.
This is a White House press release describing the treatment of detainees as humane and consistent with the Geneva Conventions. It states that all Guantanamo detainees are being provided: three meals a day that meet Muslim dietary laws; water; ...
State Department talking points on fielding questions concerning the detentiona and humane treatment of captured terrorists.
State Department talking points on the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo. The main points being made are: 1) All accusations of mistreatment are taken seriously and fully investigated; 2) Torture and other forms of cruel treatment committed by ...
Dec. 23, 2004
Non-legal Memo
Ronald W. Miller
George W. Bush, Ronald W. Miller, Rexon Y. Ryu, JoAnn J. Dolan
Government of Malaysia expressed outrage over treatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib "and possibly elsewhere." Said Malaysia would "not listen" to future US criticism of Malaysian human rights practices.
State Department cable concerning the possible transfer of Guantanamo Detainees from Guantanamo and Bagram back to their home countries. Mostly redacted.
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Ronald W. Miller, Pierre-Richard Prosper
Email forwarded from Jonathan Crock to Ronald Miller containing talking points on torture (mostly dealing with Guantanamo) used for last year's Human Rights Report rollout. Mr. Crock's comments are "Do we have any new guidance on no torture at GTMO?"
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) met with Moroccan Prime Minister Jettou in Rabat on 1/4/04. Discussion included counter terrorism, the FTA (REFTEL), Iraq, the Middel East Peace talks and the Guantanamo detainees.
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Summary of meeting between Sec. Powell and Danish Foreign Minister. The men discussed the Gaza Strip situation, the Sudan crises and Cyprus.
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable relating a request from Latvian Parliamentarians requesting the release of Latvian student from prison in Iraq. The Latvians claim that the gentleman was arrested on suspicion of being a "potential foreign mercenary" and is ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Summary of bi-annual TransAtlantic Legislators' Dialogue meetings, which included discussions of conflicts between U.S. and European positions on Guantanamo and the war on terror.
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable giving a summary of meeting between Sec. Powell and Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. FM Lindh praised the current U.S. efforts in the Middle East and assured Sec. Powell that the Europeans will do what they can to help ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Richard A. Boucher, Henry Bisharat, Craig A. Kelly , Beth Jones
State Department cable to Secretary of State Powell giving advice on upcoming visits of senior U.S. Defense policy and Pol-Mil visitors to Australia in a two-week period in Mid-August 2003 "to convey the importance of our alliance to our ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable concerning the June 12 arrival of the Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh to call on the Secretary of State, Colin Powell. The issues to be covered are: The Middle East peace process; transatlantic relations; ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable concerning an article in the Independent newspaper concerning two (2) Al-Qaeda terror suspects, Jamil El Banna and Bisher Amin Khalil al Rawi, being transferred to Guantanamo. The article raises questions about extradition ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Jamil El Banna, Bisher Amin Khalil al Rawi
State Department cable detailing Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper's meeting with senior Swedish officials, parliamentarians, the press and legal experts concerning the U.S. detention of terror suspects and the label "Illegal Combatant" in order ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Pierre-Richard Prosper
State Department cable concerning a meeting with the French Foreign Minister Hubert Colin de Verdiere. Mr. de Verdiere expressed concerns over a United Nations Security Council resolution on Iraq; the treatment of several French citizens in the ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell