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)

Autopsy Report, Riadh Mohammed Abd Al Razak, Abu Ghraib Prison, Iraq who collapsed while speaking to other detainees while in U.S. custody at Abu Ghraib prison. Cause of death: Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Manner of death: Natural. ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Autopsy, Death Certificate)
Riadh Mohammed Abd Al Razak
This medical report on a 30 year-old Iraqi male detainee who complained of dizziness when standing was diagnosed with rheumatic heart. There are no details on the detainee or where he is housed.
A 36 year-old male detainee was found in his cell (#19) on Tier 1-A of Abu Ghraib Prison, laying on his stomach on the floor of his cell. Refused to eat food for five (5) days. Detainee stated that he was having difficulty eating because he ...

Autopsy Report of an unidentified Iraqi male shot in a firefight and lived to be transported to a U.S. hospital where he underwent multiple surgeries but died due to complications of his wounds. Cause of Death: Gunshot wound to the abdomen; ...

Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Autopsy, Death Certificate)
General, Physical assault
Detainee claimed that while he was being captured in Altlafia by U.S. forces soldiers hit him in the stomach, nose and mouth area with their fists. The doctor who saw the detainee on June 15, 2004 stated that he did have any bruising. The ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Physical (non-death))
Face slap or insult slap, Physical assault
Medical records of Iraqi male detainees who were injured during a prison riot in Abu Ghraib prison. A group of prisoners became unruly and guards used lethal force to subdue the crowd. The circumstances surrounding the incident were ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Physical (non-death))
Physical assault, Other
Autopy no: ME04-434; Fawaz Badaa Najem, a 42 year old male Iraqi civilian, was in US custody at Abu Ghraib. Be began making gasping sounds which awoke another detainee. The decedent was found to be unresponsive and pulseless. Resuscitation ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Autopsy, Death Certificate)
Fawaz Badaa Najem
Physical assault
Log of response to physical complaints made at Abu Ghraib. Complaint and remedy logged. Prisoner identification redacted.
Detainee was a prisoner at the Hard Site, Cell 1A Tier, at Abu Ghraib prison. The detainee complained of an old injury to his left thigh and was seen by doctor for a foreign body in the inner thigh. Object was a bullet that was removed and wound ...
A 38 year-old male detainee in for routine medical exam during detention at Abu Ghraib prison. The patient refused to cooperate with exam. The doctor documents that the patient appears to be in good shape with healthy and reactive responses to ...
A 46 year-old detainee at Abu Ghraib prison complained of left side chest pain, exhaustion and appeared to collapse during medical check. It was determined that he faked his condition and was feigning fainting. He was returned to his cell for rest.
This 30 year-old male detainee engaged upon a hunger strike and refuses to eat or drink for unknown time. Dehydrated. Given an IV. Detainee was removed from his cell for medical treatment.
15 yea- old male was raped in hardcell by two other inmates. Speaks reluctantly and fearfully. Examined 12 hours after the rape. No evidence of bruising or physical trauma.
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Physical (non-death))
Sexual, Physical assault
This document is a partial medical record of the treatment of detainees at a hospital facility servicing Abu Ghraib prison, Baghdad, Iraq. The five (5) detainees are on a hunger strike and this is a short documentation of that event in October - ...
Detainee asked ot be examined because he as oral cancer as a result of chewing tobacco for a number of years.The medical records do not give any indication as to any personal information on the detainee.
Medical records of a detainee from Tier 1, Hard Site, Abu Ghraib Prison complaining about Sciatica and Testicular Pain. The medical records do not give any indication as to any personal information on the detainee.
Detainee treatment logs from the Detainee Treatment Logs from Area Support Medical Battalion, Baghdad International Airport . The treatment logs list ailment and disposition columns. Heavily Redacted.

Collection of 25 death certificates and summary of 30 detainee autopsy reports from Afghanistan and Iraq. Full autopsy reports can be found at ACLU RDI 991-1018.

Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Autopsy)
Physical assault, General
Autopsy report and death certificate of Basim Mohammed Hussein held at Baghdad International Airport, died July 12, 2003 of hemoptysis caused by tuberculosis. Related to ACLU RDI: 71, 995 & 1053. CID#: 0014-03-CID919-63732
Medical records of several Abu Ghraib prisoners including a 25 year-old male detainee who attempted to hang himself. The report is related to CID investigation 0084-04-CID519-81169.
A 30 year-old male Iraqi detainee states he received maltreatment at the hands of US forces at the Mosul Airport.The detainee reports being beaten when he was arrested. He states he was hooded; had hands tied behind his back; placed in a cold ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Physical (non-death))
Face slap or insult slap, General, Dietary manipulation, Other, Physical assault
Iraqi detainee at Abu Ghraib prison on a hunger strike was brought to the emergency room for treatment. He was re-hydrated via IV and returned to his cell.
Medical log book from the Hard Site at Abu Ghraib prison Medical Office listing the detainees and their ailments. Most information is redacted.

Autopsy report, preliminary autopsy report, trauma record, death certificate, and hospital report of death relating to the death of Husham Nafit Ghafar. The cause of his death was a shotgun wound to the head. The circumstances surrounding ...

Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Autopsy, Death Certificate)
Husham Nafit Ghafar
Autopsy report, preliminary autopsy report, trauma record, death certificate, and hospital report of death relating to the death of Fras Moazahim Habib. The cause of his death was a shotgun wound to the chest. Additional shotgun wound paths ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Autopsy, Death Certificate)
Fras Moazahim Habib
Physical assault, General

A soldier was found guilty of using excessive force during interrogation by assaulting detainee with a police riot baton on his feet. Punishment included oral admonition and restriction to set locations (dining hall, duty, company area, ...

Apr. 18, 2005
Investigative File
Physical assault, General

Record data of all detainees who were treated in U.S. Army medical treatment facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq between December, 2001 and September, 2004.

Letter from David N. Kelley, DOJ to Lawrence Lustberg, of Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Grriffinger & Vecchione, P.C., attorneys for the ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. Partially redacted. Letter states "Dear Mr. Lustberg: Enclosed please find a ...
Apr. 06, 2005
Letter, Judicial
David N. Kelley | Sean H. Lane | Stewart F. Aly
David N. Kelley, Sean H. Lane, Peter M. Skinner, Stewart F. Aly

This is a DOD fax for a release of documents to the ACLU on April 6, 2005. The substance of the letter is that the Department of Defense is reporting on their compliance and production of document in the matter of ACLU v. Department of ...

This email states that Admiral Church has requested information on interrogator issues and the party to the email states that the DIA IG is requesting similar information. Several drafts of the information request are passed back and forth and ...
Apr. 06, 2005
Email
Albert T. Church
These emails discuss coordinating tasking and responses to the handling and inquiries of alleged abuse of detainees in Iraq. DOD also requested documentation in support of the Detainee Task Force (DTF), which will conduct a "comprehensive review ...
This email pertains to an investigation in to possible violation of law concerning the interrogation of a Bosnian national found that “at the time of the incident, there were no specific guidelines regarding interrogation techniques of detainee ...
Theses emails are between DIS Officials discussing developing interrogation policies and guidelines. One of the authors states that the interrogation mission is codified under the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combat Command doctrine. However, ...
This memo summarizes a conversation with a DIA personnel who was involved in detainee interrogations in Iraq. The DIA personnel corroborated a Washington Post article describing incidents occurring at Iraqi prisons and that senior leadership knew ...
This memo summarizes a debriefing of a DIA officer who was in Iraq conducting counter-intelligence operations and detainee interrogations. The DIA officer participated in the interrogation of a suspected bomb maker. He stated that the detainee ...
This taking memo asks recipient to review the attached draft implementing guidance developed to support approved policy on release or transfer of detainees.
This DOD memo asks the recipient to review the attached draft implementing guidance developed to support approved policy on release or transfer of detainees.
This DOD tasking memo stating that the action to be completed needs to be re-tasked.
This is a memo from President Bush to the Vice President and other key administration personnel stating that "none of the provisions of Geneva apply to our conflict with al Qaeda in Afghanistan or elsewhere throughout the world because, among ...
Document Index: Intelligence Interrogation of Enemy Combatant Detainee Ali Saleh al-Marri. Contents redacted.
Apr. 06, 2005
Non-legal Memo, Other
Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri
Document Index: Intelligence Interrogation of Enemy Combatant a Detainee. there is a compliation of six (6) documents listed as produced.
This list is of nineteen (19) documents, dated from 7/1/03 - 5/24/04. Includes policies/procedures, briefing and guidance, memos, and e-mails produced. It appears that this is part of a larger document production.
These emails between DIA officials discuss SJA review of AR 15-6 investigations, letters of reprimand stemming from detainee abuse allegations and DIA's need to do a "round up" of all possible detainee abuse cases.
General Kern testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the detainee abuse that occurred at Abu Ghraib prison. Gen. Kern stated "We set our course to find truth, not to “whitewash” or to convict those who are not incriminated". And ...
The email is an assessment and review of the necessary training and assets in order to handle detainees in the wake of the Inspector General's report on detainee treatment. Gen. Cody states "as we know we’ve will be doing these missions for a ...

This email is a request for guidance in training and equipping the Army’s 2nd Brigade with detainee operations. One of the Generals on the email chain states “Let's not get confused with running "prison" operations and ...

Apr. 06, 2005
Email
George A. Higgins
George A. Higgins, William B. Wood , Richard A. Cody
Update on the 800th Military Police Brigade's training and readiness. Attached slide is "Mobilization History" with "specified training tasks".
Apr. 06, 2005
Email
Julian Burns
Julian H. Burns
General Helmly addresses the detainee abuse scandal involving Reserve soldiers. He commends the Reserve soldiers for their service while reminding them of their moral and ethical responsibilities as soldiers and their obligation to uphold the ...
Apr. 06, 2005
Letter
James R. Helmly
James R. Helmly
Army Information Paper re: Detainee Operations and 60 Minutes profile of Detainee Abuse at Abu Ghraib Prison. This paper is a chronology of events surrounding the detainee operations and reminder of Army values and the expectations senior command ...
Apr. 06, 2005
Non-legal Memo
David D. McKiernan
Email from Army Officer to Army Officer re: Detainee Operations 24 August, 2004. No content. No attachment.