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
July 11, 2005 | DOJ | ACLU-RDI 4695
This Dept. of Justice letter to Lawrence S. Lustberg and Megan Lewis of Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione, P.C., Re: ACLU, et al., v. Department of Defense, et al., No. 04 Civ. 4151 (AKH) document production. Mr. Kelley's comments ...
June 08, 2005
Letter, Judicial
David N. Kelley | Sean H. Lane | Peter M. Skinner
Lawrence S. Lustberg | Megan Lewis
David N. Kelley, Sean H. Lane, Peter M. Skinner
June 08, 2005 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4696
Letter from Margaret P. Grafeld, DOS to Amrit Singh, ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. Letter states that the document production requested is being complied with in some parts and denied or withheld in part.
June 08, 2005
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
June 08, 2005 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4698
Letter from Margaret P. Grafeld, DOS to Amrit Singh, ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. Letter states that the document production requested is being complied with in some parts and denied or withheld in part.
June 08, 2005
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
Mar. 18, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4699
This memo is to address questions and concerns over the status and treatment of Guantanamo detainees. The memo states that: 1) the U.S. does not permit, tolerate or condone torture; 2) Detainees get excellent medical care; 3) the Al-Qaeda ...
June 08, 2005
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, George W. Bush
Mar. 19, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4700
State Department cable stating that the U.S. has come to an agreement to return five (5) Guantanamo detainees back to their home country. The agreement includes assurances from the receiving country that the detainees will receive humane ...
June 08, 2005
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Ronald W. Miller, Pierre-Richard Prosper
June 08, 2005 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4702
Letter from Margaret P. Grafeld, DOS to Amrit Singh, ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. Letter states that the document production requested is being complied with in some parts and denied or withheld in part.
June 08, 2005
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
Nov. 13, 2001 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4703
This State Department Fact Sheet on the President's establishment of Military Commissions lists talking points on addressing issues and questions that might arise. The points highlight the following: i) The Order applies only to non-U.S. ...
June 08, 2005
Non-legal Memo
George W. Bush, Donald H. Rumsfeld
Nov. 13, 2001 | WH | ACLU-RDI 4704
Presidential Military Order concerning the Detention, Treatment and Trial of Certain Non-Citizens in the War against Terrorism. The Order is the basis for the authority to apprehend, detain and place on trial via Military Commissions persons who ...
June 08, 2005
Non-legal Memo
George W. Bush
George W. Bush, Donald H. Rumsfeld
Jan. 31, 2001 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4705
State Department Talking points memo on the screening of Al-Qaeda and Taliban detainees taken in to custody. The points being made in this memo are: i) The Geneva Conventions does not require a review in every circumstance; ii) Al-Qaeda and ...
Mar. 18, 2002 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 4706
This fax cover sheet is from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office - British Embassy, Washington sent by Robert Macaire to John Bellinger with the message:"I attach a copy of an internal record of the unsuccesa(ul application for judicial review of ...
June 08, 2005
Letter
Robert Macaire
John Bellinger
John B. Bellinger, III, Jonathan B. Schwartz, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Bruce Swartz
Oct. 23, 2002 | WH | ACLU-RDI 4707
White House Cover Sheet re: Routing and Transmittal Slip. No additional in formation or comments.
Dec. 26, 2002 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 4708
Letter from Kenneth Roth the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch to President George W. Bush concerning the accusations of torture and mistreatment of detainees published in an article in the Washington Post newspaper on December 26, 2002. ...
June 08, 2005
Letter
Kenneth Roth
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
Dec. 11, 2003 | NSA | ACLU-RDI 4709
This is a fax cover sheet without attached pages.
June 08, 2005
Letter
Brad Wiegmann
Alberto Gonzalez | Jack L. Goldsmith | Patrick Philbin | Edward R. Cummings | William R. Gade | David Leitch | Whit Cobb
John B. Wiegmann, Alberto R. Gonzales, Jack L. Goldsmith, Patrick Philbin, Whit Cobb, Edward R. Cummings, William R. Gade
June 01, 2004 | NSA | ACLU-RDI 4710
National Security Council fax cover sheet from John Bellinger to William Howard Taft, IV. No attachments or context.
June 08, 2005
Letter
John B. Bellinger
William Howard Taft, IV
John B. Bellinger, III, William Howard Taft, IV
June 20, 2002 | NSA | ACLU-RDI 4711
NSC Fax Cover Sheet re: Agenda for Thursday, June 20, 2002. No additional comments. No attachments.
June 08, 2005
Letter
John B. Bellinger
Eliana Davidson | Daniel Dell'Orto | Matt Vaccaro
John B. Bellinger, III, Daniel Dell'Orto, Eliana Davidson, Robert A. Spencer, Daniel P. Collins, Mary Incontro, Bruce Swartz, William Howard Taft, IV, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Elliott Abrams
Aug. 14, 2002 | WH | ACLU-RDI 4712
White House Fax Cover Sheet re: SOC for 8 August DC Meeting on Detainee Processing. No attachment. No additional information
June 08, 2005
Letter
Maura Harty | James A. Whitmore | James A. McAtamney | Jeffrey Kupfer | Edward Snead
Maura A. Harty, James A. Whitmore, Edward W. Snead, James A. McAtamney
Oct. 26, 2002 | WH | ACLU-RDI 4713
White House Fax Cover Sheet re: SOC for 18 October PC Meeting on Detainees. No addtional information. No attachments.
June 08, 2005
Letter
Maura Harty | James A. Whitmore | James A. McAtamney | Edward Snead
Maura A. Harty, James A. Whitmore, James A. McAtamney, Edward W. Snead, Paul W. Butler
Nov. 14, 2003 | WH | ACLU-RDI 4714
White House Fax Cover Sheet re: Summary of Conclusions for 11-10-03 PCC on Detainees. No additional information. No attachments.
June 08, 2005
Letter
Brad Wiegmann
Bruce Swartz | Pierre-Richard Prosper | William Howard Taft, IV | Eliana Davidson | Paul Butler
John B. Wiegmann, Paul W. Butler, Bruce Swartz, Pierre-Richard Prosper, William Howard Taft, IV, Eliana Davidson
June 18, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4715

National Security Council fax cover page with the message: "Please review and provide any comnments/clearance by noon on Monday, June 21, 2004. Thank you," sent by John B. Bellinger, III. No additional comments or attachments.

June 08, 2005
Letter
John B. Bellinger
William J. Haynes, II | William Howard Taft, IV | Jack L. Goldsmith | Patrick Philbin | Alberto Gonzalez | David S. Addington
John B. Bellinger, III, William J. Haynes, II, William Howard Taft, IV, Jack L. Goldsmith, Patrick Philbin, Alberto R. Gonzales, David S. Addington
June 08, 2005 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4717
Letter from Margaret P. Grafeld, DOS to Amrit Singh, ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. Letter states that the document production requested is being complied with in some parts and denied or withheld in part.
June 08, 2005
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
Jan. 25, 2002 | NSC | ACLU-RDI 4718
National Security Council Fax Cover Sheet with the comment "Here is an Advanced Copy of the Memorandum That Will Be Sent to Your Principals Later This Afternoon." No further comments. No attachments.
June 08, 2005
Letter
John B. Bellinger
William Howard Taft, IV | Jane Dalton | James H. Thessin
John B. Bellinger, III, William Howard Taft, IV, James H. Thessin, Jane Dalton
Feb. 07, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4719
Email chain regarding the White House announcement on February 7, 2002 about the treatment of detainees in Guantanamo and corresponding talking points. The memo states that the detainees are illegal combatants, and not Prisoners of War (POWs). ...
June 08, 2005
Email
David W. Bowker
Dan B. Smith | David J. Wolff | Kevin M. O'Reilly | Karen Decker | Cheryl Steele | Amy W. Schedlbauer | LaVonya M. Hayward | William B. Wood
David W. Bowker, David J. Wolff, Daniel B. Smith, Kevin M. O'Reilly, Karen Decker, Cheryl Steele, Amy W. Schedlbauer, LaVonya M. Hayward, William B. Wood
June 08, 2005 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4721
Letter from Margaret P. Grafeld, DOS to Amrit Singh, ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. Letter states that the document production requested is being complied with in some parts and denied or withheld in part.
June 08, 2005
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
DOS | ACLU-RDI 4722
This document consists of seven (7) fax cover sheets from the State Department to State Department Officials concerning Prosecution and Detention of Al-Qaeda and Taliban Detainees. No attachments or details of the underlying fax documents.
June 08, 2005
Letter
Evan T. Bloom
Pierre-Richard Prosper
Evan T. Bloom, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Daniel Dell'Orto, Eliana Davidson, Robert A. Spencer, Daniel P. Collins, Mary Incontro, William Howard Taft, IV, JoAnn J. Dolan, John B. Bellinger, III, Bruce Swartz, Waldo W. Brooks , Patrick Philbin
June 08, 2005 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4724
Letter from Margaret P. Grafeld, DOS to Amrit Singh, ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. The letter states that the document production requested is being complied with in some parts and denied or withheld in part.
June 08, 2005
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
Jan. 31, 2002 | WH | NSA | ACLU-RDI 4725
Routing and tranmittal cover sheets from December 2001 though February 2002 re: Detainee Detention Flow Charts. No attachements
June 08, 2005
Letter
John B. Bellinger, III, Daniel Dell'Orto, Eliana Davidson, Bruce Swartz, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Evan T. Bloom, William Howard Taft, IV
Jan. 20, 2004 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 4736
Letter from attorney Dennis Edney, attorney for Omar Ahmed Khadr, a detainee held at Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo. The letter is a request for Mr. Graham to take any and all available steps to assert and protect Omar's basic human rights as a Canadian ...
June 08, 2005
Letter
Dennis Edney
Bill Graham
George W. Bush
Omar Ahmed Khadr
Nov. 13, 2001 | EOP | ACLU-RDI 3540

Presidential order authorizing detention of individuals and trial by military commission. From http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/11/20011113-27.html.

June 01, 2005
Non-legal Memo
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
Feb. 07, 2002 | WH | ACLU-RDI 3541
This White House memo describes U.S. policy toward detainees at Guantanamo.  States that they are not entitled to POW treatment but that they are treated humanely and given many of the protections that POWs are given.

June 01, 2005
Non-legal Memo
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
Sept. 20, 2002 | EOP | ACLU-RDI 3542

A letter from President Bush describing progress against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and work with other countries.

June 01, 2005
Letter
George W. Bush
John Dennis Hastert | Robert C. Byrd
John Dennis Hastert, Robert C. Byrd
Jan. 15, 2003 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 3543
Department of Defense memo rescinding approval of the use of all Category II techniques and one Category III technique during investigations that were previously approved on December 2, 2002. Attaches memo from Jim Haynes, General Counsel of the ...
June 01, 2005
Non-legal Memo
Donald H. Rumsfeld
James T. Hill
Donald H. Rumsfeld, William J. Haynes, II, James T. Hill
Apr. 16, 2003 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 3544

A memo from Secretary Rumsfeld approving a set of interrogation techniques, including some that it admits may be "inconsistent with" provisions of the Geneva Conventions.  The techniques include "Pride and Ego Down," ...

June 01, 2005
Non-legal Memo
Donald H. Rumsfeld
James T. Hill
Donald H. Rumsfeld, James T. Hill, Richard B. Myers
Stress positions, Sleep deprivation, Isolation, Dietary manipulation, Environmental manipulation
June 22, 2004 | ACLU-RDI 3545

This manual describes in detail interrogation techniques such as rapport-building, fear-up and fear-down, pride and ego, and file and dossier.

June 01, 2005
Non-legal Memo
William J. Haynes, II
June 01, 2004 | ACLU-RDI 3546
This documenis an academic paper presented by Philip B. Heyman of Harvard University.
June 01, 2005
Other
Stress positions, Sleep deprivation, Environmental manipulation, Hooding/Goggling, Other Humiliation, Sexual
Dec. 30, 2004 | OLC | ACLU-RDI 3547
Department of Justice Office of Legal Council on Standards of Conduct for Interrogation under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2340-2340A. This memo superceding the August 2002 memo interpreting the anti-torture statute. The memo disagrees with the previous memo's ...
June 01, 2005
Legal Memo
Daniel B. Levin
James B. Comey
Daniel B. Levin, James B. Comey, George W. Bush
Jan. 08, 2005 | ACLU-RDI 3548

A series of blog posts by a former OLC lawyer, Marty Lederman, discussing the difference between the DOJ's memo on torture from August 2002 and the memo on torture from December 30, 2004 (ACLU-RDI 3547).  The posts conclude that the Bush ...

June 01, 2005
Other
John C. Yoo, Daniel B. Levin, Alberto R. Gonzales, Richard J. Durbin
Waterboarding, Mock Burial, Rendition, Stress positions, Sleep deprivation, Light or sound, Hooding/Goggling, Religious, Use of water, Threat, Environmental manipulation, Other Humiliation
Jan. 06, 2005 | Legislative | ACLU-RDI 3549

Questions for Alberto Gonzalez, during his confirmation hearing, including many related to the treatment of detainees

June 01, 2005
Interview (Transcript)
Patrick Leahy
Alberto Gonzalez
Alberto R. Gonzales, John D. Ashcroft, Patrick Leahy, George W. Bush, Colin L. Powell, Donald H. Rumsfeld, George J. Tenet
June 26, 2003 | ACLU-RDI 3550

A letter praising the Bush administration for its work addressing the problem of torture and welcoming the Bush administration's statement that the United States will neither torture terrorist suspects nor use cruel and unusual treatment to ...

June 01, 2005
Letter
George W. Bush, William J. Haynes, II, Patrick Leahy
Jan. 15, 2003 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 4984

A memo directing DOD General Counsel Jim Haynes to establish a working group "to assess the legal, policy, and operational issues relating to the interrogations of detainees."  That working group would later recommend ...

June 01, 2005
Non-legal Memo
Donald H. Rumsfeld
William J. Haynes, II
Donald H. Rumsfeld, William J. Haynes, II
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1222
Power Point presentation explaining the responsibilities of U.S. armed forces and detainees' rights under the laws of war. Includes rules for record keeping, lessons for drafting sworn statements, and obligations to treat detainees with dignity ...
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1223
Power Point presentation entitled "Geneva Convention Humane Treatment of Detainees." The presentation defines current detention operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Defines key terms and standards of conduct when interacting with detainees. ...
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1224
PowerPoint presentation entitled "Communicate with Detainees & Muslim Cultural Awareness." Discusses methods for effectively communicating with detainees, including dealing with problem detainees. Includes a lesson on Islam, its history and ...
DOD | ACLU-RDI 1225
PowerPoint presentation discusses methods for dealing with stress while working as a staff member in a detainee camp.
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1226
PowerPoint presentation discussing the impact of the HIV and hepatitis viruses and identifies universal precautions and preventative measures in a detainee environment. Discusses the testing and management of detainees infected with HIV or other ...
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1227
PowerPoint presentation discussing how to account for detainees, including correct procedures for conducting head counts and bed checks.
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1228
PowerPoint presentation discussing methods for conducting physical security operations in a detainee camp. Includes procedures for safeguarding and securing keys and locking devices, security measures for the general areas and high risk areas. ...
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1229
PowerPoint presentation discussing methods for ensuring the safety of staff members at detention camps. Includes being aware of potential attacks and reacting to dangerous situations.
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1230
DOD PowerPoint presentation discussing methods for identifying contraband and procedures for conducting a frisk search, strip search, inspection/ shakedown of detainee's area, seizing contraband and observing safety precautions.
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1231
DOD PowerPoint presentation discussing methods for escorting detainees when moving them to designated areas inside and outside the detainee camp.
June 11, 2004 | DOD | ACLU-RDI 1232
PowerPoint presentation discussing and depicting methods for applying handcuffs and leg restraints on detainees.