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
Jan. 17, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3574
This State Department cable is a report on detainees as well as an assessment of the ground situation in Afghanistan. The cable focuses on a description of the Qandahar airport holding facility holding the Cuba-bound al-Qaida and Taliban ...
Nov. 23, 2004
Cable
Zalmay Mamozy Khalilzad
Zalmay Mamozy Khalilzad, Colin L. Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Stephen Hadley, Donald H. Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz
Jan. 17, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4198
Cable is a message from the President expressing the U.S. government's concern about the economic crisis Argentina is currently facing. The President also stated that the U.S. stands ready to assist/support Argentina. Also, a press guidance is ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
George W. Bush, Sharon E. Ahmad
Jan. 17, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4219
State Department cable to Washington recounting discussions with the Swiss government over concerns of not classifying Al-Qaeda and Taliban detainees in Guantanamo according to Geneva Conventions. It is clearly stated that the Swiss government ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Jan. 17, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4220
State Department cable describing discussion in the UK Parliament concerning the treatment and continued detention of UK citizens held at Guantanamo. PM Tony Blair was questioned by opposition members about the UK's access to British citizens and ...
Jan. 17, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4343
State Department cable concerning the Tokyo Conference; the transfer of detainees to Guantanamo; the ability and schedule of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit Guantanamo facilities and the detainees; and the ability of ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Jan. 16, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3775
State Department cable regarding prosecution of non-Afghanis fighting with Al-Qaeda or the Taliban. The cable states that an investigation of such persons will be carried out and, in the event that it is established that criminal acts were ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Jan. 16, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4318
State Department cable updating diplomatic posts and providing talking points on a variety of subjects that may be inquired about, such as: i) Fugitive Christian Longo being captured in Mexico; ii) U.S. Venezuela relations; iii) War on Terror; ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Richard A. Boucher
Jan. 16, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4342
State Department cable providing information to Washington about Assistant Secretary William Burns visiting Kuwait on January 11-12 for Consultations with the Kuwaiti Government Focused on Operation Enduring Freedom, Middle East Peace, the U.S. ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, John Dimitri Negroponte
Jan. 15, 2002 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 3671
State Department talking points memo on addressing the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo. The memo poses potential questions and answers to be given in response.
Dec. 02, 2004
Non-legal Memo
David A. Kaye, Evan T. Bloom
Jan. 15, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3689
DOS Memo re: Talking Points on Guantanamo Detainees Treatment and Status. Memo states i) all detainees are treated humanely; ii) they are very dangerous people; iii) International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) has access to them; and iv) ...