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)

A video captured what appears to have been a killing of an injured non-combatant. The events are as follows: A black sedan crashed into a wall, the driver fell out of the driver's door and lay wounded on the ground. The man was seen moving his ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID), Photograph
Physical assault
Investigation into death of detainee after he was interrogated. The cause of death was undetermined but was investigated for murder. A sergeant stated that he struck the detainee with the butt of his weapon while trying to subdue him and the ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID), Photograph, Interview (Statement)
Physical assault, General
Investigation into abuse of detainee identified in Time magazine. Insufficient evidence.
Investigation into assault of detainee after an escape attempt and subsequent homicide. Soldiers conspired to provide false statements to investigators. After subduing detainee with excessive force, soldiers continued to assault him by slamming ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault, Walling, General
Detainee alleged that he was abused while in custody of U.S. forces. The detainee claims he was beaten, sexually assaulted and had his property stolen. Once released, detainee filed a complaint and told his story on Hardball with Chris Matthews. ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault, Sexual, General, Nudity, Sexual, Other Humiliation
Detainee alleged that he was abused by US forces during his apprehension and they threatened him with execution. The investigation found that the claim was without merit. Members of the unit that captured the detainee were interviewed and records ...
A detainee alleges that when he was captured he was taken to a palace in Ramadi where he was kicked and electrocuted. The detainee was medically checked during this period and no signs of injury or abuse were indicated.
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Use of water, Water dousing, Physical assault, Face slap or insult slap, Stomach/abdominal slap, General, Use of electricity

Female detainee alleged she was abused while in US custody. The investigation stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove the offenses of aggravated assault and cruelty and maltreatment. Detainee alleges she was forced to stand ...

Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Use of water, Water dousing, Physical assault, Walling, General, Sleep deprivation, Nudity, Other Humiliation, Sexual
Detainee alleges being beaten on the head and passing out. Detainee was punched; beaten with rifles; had water thrown on him; and was laid down in front of a tank and told he would be run over. Members of the unit were interviewed and denied the ...
Investigation established probable cause to believe unidentified persons committed the offense of Cruelty and Maltreatment when they flex-cuffed the detainees in positions for long periods of time causing extended amounts of stress on the joints ...
Detainee alleged being kicked and punched, shocked with a Taser, and threatened at knifepoint at Kheriolla House. Detainee said his face was covered with plaster until he almost suffocated. Medic examined detainee to determine if he was fit to ...
A detainee was taken in to custody on January 10, 2004 and alleged he was abused during his arrest by being kicked in the face while he was restrained, hooded and in a kneeling position. He also states while detained at Camp Biap, Baghdad he was ...

This document is the Court Martial - charge and prosecution package for Specialist Charles A. Graner, Jr. of the 372nd Military Police Company. SPC Graner was a key figure in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal and this document contains the ...

Deleted Page Information Sheet

Court Martial proceeding was brought against Sgt. Javal S. Davis, a key figure in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. This document contains the charges; investigative report; defense motions; transcripts and other material associated with ...

Feb. 15, 2006
UCMJ (Court-Martial, Article 32), Judicial (Transcript)
Javal Sean Davis
A detainee claims that after he was apprehended, but before being detained at Abu Ghraib prison, he was brought to an unknown facility (presumably the Baghdad International Airport), interrogated and beaten. The report confirmed the detainee was ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID), Photograph
Physical assault, General
Detainee alleged that while at Abu Ghraib prison several soldiers slapped; punched; choked; struck his head, shoulders, and arms with a retractable metal baton; jumped on him; forced him to lean against a wall in a seated position; forced him to ...
A detainee claims that he was in a vehicle with other Iraqi men who possessed AK-47s. The men attempted to avoid a road-side checkpoint and were stopped by US gunfire. While the men were detained at the roadside, several Iraqi civilians began to ...
Detainee reported that he was arrested after US forces found a weapon in his home. He was detained at Al Sijood Palace, Iraq, and it was during this detention he states he was hooded; flexicuffed; punched; kicked; yelled at; and threatened. ...
This CID investigation concerns an investigation in to detainee abuse in Afghanistan. A New York Times newspaper was releasing a story on 12 May 04, concerning allegations of a Afghan Police Colonel that was alleged to be abused by U.S. Forces in ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Sexual, Assault/death, Physical assault, Threat
Detainee reported that he was arrested after US forces after a raid on his home. He states that while in detention at the Baghdad International Airport he was interrogated and claims to have been spat upon and knocked to the ground. He alleges ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID), Photograph
Physical assault, Other Humiliation
A detainee who was held in US custody claims to have been “beaten” in an unspecific manner and by persons whom he could not describe and at a location and time that could not be determined. Despite this, a thorough investigation listed the ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault
A detainee alleges that while in US custody he was assaulted during interrogation. The investigation established probable cause to believe detainee was assaulted during interrogations at an unknown location by unknown individuals. Detainee was ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault
A detainee alleges he was burned with "hot gases" coming from a transport vehicle while he lay on his stomach in the back of the vehicle while being transported. Medical records revealed that the detainee suffered burn injuries which required ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault, General, Stress positions, Cramped confinement
Summary of investigations into abuse of detainees in Afghanistan and Iraq. 56 incidents not in facility: 7 death investigations. (3 homicides. 1 justifiable homicide. 3 investigations pending). 19 thefts. 29 assaults. 1 sexual assualt. 141 ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Non-legal Memo
Physical assault, Assault/death, Threat
Deleted Page Information Sheet
Deleted Page Information Sheet Pages
Discusses incidents of abuse of detainees by Army personnel that have been substantiated. Legal discussion point out that Article 93 does not specifically prohibit these acts, but does prohibit cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment and intent ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Non-legal Memo
Physical assault, General, Assault/death, Stress positions, Use of phobias, Nudity, Sexual, Religious, Threat, Other Humiliation
Updates and supplements information paper prepared to provide information on CID investigations into allegations of abuse committed against detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan who are/were in US custody and the known disposition of cases following ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Non-legal Memo
Physical assault, Assault/death, Threat
This memo discusses investigations and outcomes including punishment. Total of 62 cases of detainee abuse and/or death have been or are being investigated - 46 by CID and 16 at the unit level. There are a variety of cases discussed. Many have ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Non-legal Memo
Thomas J. Romig
Physical assault, General, Threat, Assault/death
Discusses existence of new photos of abuse of detainees. A CD of photographs was provided by CIA to Department of Defense who forwarded it to the Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID). Some of the photographs were the Abu Ghraib ones shown ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Non-legal Memo
Donald H. Rumsfeld, Janis Leigh Karpinski
Sexual, General, Sexual, Physical assault, Other Humiliation
Powerpoint presentation about Geneva Convention issues and detainee concerns.
This email contains an attachment of a chronology and talking points concerning the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison, detainee operations at the prison and the 60 Minutes television report on the matter. The information paper also details responses ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Email
David D. McKiernan

A soldier was found guilty of using excessive force during interrogation by ...

Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File
Physical assault, General
Email includes notes from a May 7, 2004 Senate Armed Services Committee, which summarizes the incidents which led to the death of Iraqi Major General and detainee Abed Hamed Mowhoush.
Email describes Abu Ghraib Prison and the challenges in running it. Ed Lueckenhoff states that he met with AUSAs Dana Biehl and Bruce Pagel who toured the prison. Pagel advised Lueckenhoff that he was aware of the allegations of abuse at the ...
FBI memo cover page re: On-site Behavioral Assessment of Interview Process at Guantanamo Bay. No additional pages attached.
FBI memo re: Contacts made by BAU team during 05/23/02 on-site review of Guantanamo.
Feb. 06, 2006
Non-legal Memo
Michael E. Dunlavey
FBI memo describing the activities and observations of various FBI agents who toured a detainee detention facility. The Memo notes that the FBI agents did not observe prison activities that were different or inconsistant with the treatment of ...
Emails between Military Personnel re: Ft. Bragg Interrogation Training
Email from FBI to FBI re: Update on Guantanamo Visit. The email is describing routine matters with no specific detainee information.
Email from FBI Official to FBI Official re: Camp Delta Update. The email states "We were back at Delta this morning (Friday) at the request of a St. Louis agent who has recently gotten some excellent results. It was the only ongoing interview as ...
Email from FBI official touring through Camp Delta, Guantanamo Bay. The email states "DHS wanted us to be a part of one of the interrogation teams. [They] said as long as there was no 'torture' involved that we were within our guidelines. He ...
Email from FBI Official to FBI BAU/CASMIRC re: Update from Camp Delta, Guantanamo. Email states "Our work load has become a little too over-weighted with the DHS group. We had a couple of successes with that bunch and I think that they are our ...
Email from FBI official providing an update on events at Guantanamo. The email states "Camp III's new completion date is 10/18/2002. Therefore, the next 'Air Flow,' ie new detainees being brought to GTMO from Afghanistan, is now projected for ...
Emails between Stephen Wiley, Marion Bowman and Others re: Guantanamo. Contents completely redacted
Feb. 06, 2006
Email
Stephen R. Wiley, Marion E. Bowman
Email from an FBI Official to Stephen Wiley concerning Guantanamo Interviews. The email states "At your request I contacted [redacted] who advised that Senate staffer who works for Sen. Gregg is interested in gaining background into in ...
Feb. 06, 2006
Email
Stephen R. Wiley | Frankie Battle
Stephen R. Wiley, Frankie Battle, Judd Alan Gregg
Email from Stephen Wiley to FBI Official re: Guantanamo Trip. Email discusses pending trip to Guantanamo.
Feb. 06, 2006
Email
Stephen R. Wiley
Stephen R. Wiley, Andrew Arena
Email from FBI Official to FBI Official re: Trip to Guantanamo and Meeting with General Miller Email states "We learned that neither Andy Arena nor the Miami ASAC will be coming to GTMO. Apparently, FBIHQ is scaling down their presence for the ...
Feb. 06, 2006
Email
Andrew Arena, Geoffrey D. Miller
Email to Major General Miller, begins by stating the FBI has concerns over [redacted]; ends with the FBI remains in support of the JTE GTMO mission.
Feb. 06, 2006
Email
Geoffrey D. Miller
Geoffrey D. Miller