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
Aug. 13, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3927
Email from Henry Bisharat to JoAnn Dolan, Heather Conley, Debra Cagan and Others re: Danish Press on Danish Guantanamo Detainees. The article forwarded is from the newspaper Copenhagen Politiken, dated 8/9/02, reporting on the Danish government's ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Henry Bisharat
JoAnn J. Dolan | Debra Cagan | Heather A. Conley
Henry Bisharat, Heather A. Conley, Debra L. Cagan, JoAnn J. Dolan
June 12, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3928
This State Department Cable is entitled "Subject: June 10 Transfer of Detainees to Guantanamo". There is no other discernible information or context.
Dec. 26, 2002 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 3929
This letter from Kenneth Roth the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, to President Bush concerns a Washington Post article dated December 26, 2002 alleging of torture of suspected Al-Qaeda detainees held in U.S. custody. Mr. Roth states "if ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Letter
Kenneth Roth
George W. Bush | Colin L. Powell | Donald H. Rumsfeld | Condoleeza Rice
George W. Bush, Colin L. Powell, Donald H. Rumsfeld, Condoleeza Rice
Feb. 10, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3930
This State Department Cable is entitled "Subject: February 6 Transfer of Detainees to Guantanamo". There is no other discernible information or context.
Jan. 19, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3931
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Brent E. Blaschke , Evan T. Bloom, John B. Bellinger, III
Jan. 24, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3932
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Jonathan M. Crock, James A. Larocco
Jan. 24, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3933
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Brent E. Blaschke , Pierre-Richard Prosper
Jan. 24, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3934
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Pierre-Richard Prosper
Feb. 08, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3935
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Brent E. Blaschke , David W. Bowker, Debra L. Cagan, John B. Bellinger, III
May 04, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3936
This State Department Cable is entitled "Subject: May 3 Transfer of Detainees to Guantanamo". There is no other discernible information or context due to redaction.
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Brent E. Blaschke , Pierre-Richard Prosper
June 12, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3937
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Brent E. Blaschke , JoAnn J. Dolan, Pierre-Richard Prosper
Jan. 29, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3938
This State Department Cable is entitled "Subject: International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) Detainee Access." There is no other discernible information or context.
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Richard A. Boucher
Feb. 10, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3939
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Richard A. Boucher, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Ronald W. Miller
Mar. 20, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3940
This State Department Cable is entitled "Subject: Release of Detainees from U.S. Control". There is no other discernible information or context.
Mar. 22, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3941
This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to inform foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan. It ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Richard A. Boucher, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Ronald W. Miller, JoAnn J. Dolan
Mar. 25, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3942
Re: draft cable detainees release giving editing comments.
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Joshua L. Dorosin
Lisa D. Miller | Sylvia Curran | Tina Kaidanow
Joshua L. Dorosin, Lisa D. Miller , Tina S. Kaidanow, Sylvia Reed Curran
Sept. 30, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3943
Statement by Todd Huizinga First Secretary at the U.S. Mission to the EU to European Parliament re: Public Hearing on Guantanamo Bay Detainees. Summarizes U.S. policy on Guantanamo detainees - specifically, that the capture and detention of enemy ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Interview (Statement)
Todd Huizinga
Todd Huizinga
Oct. 08, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3944
Email from Nina Schou to JoAnn Dolan and others Re: talkers on arrest and detention of aliens. The email has an attachment of a response submitted at the Commission on Human Rights that had been drafted with input from Quynh Vu of the Office of ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Nina E. Schou
JoAnn J. Dolan | Joshua L. Dorosin | Dawn Burton | Gilda M. Brancado | Jason Torchinsky | Linda Johnson | Laura Flippin | Mona M. Ragheb
Joshua L. Dorosin, JoAnn J. Dolan, Nina E Schou, Gilda M. Brancato, Jason Torchinsky, Laura L. Flippin , Mona M. Ragheb , Dawn M. Burton
Apr. 07, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3945
This letter is a response to allegations by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, that the U.S. has detained individuals without bringing charges, deprived them of procedural protections, and failed to dislcose ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Letter
Jeffrey DeLaurentis
Jeffrey DeLaurentis
Nov. 13, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3946
Emails between JoAnn Dolan and Tomas Dukes and Others re: Comments by Australian Foreign Minister re Hicks, Habib, and Miltary Commissions. This is a forward of AAP Newsfeed article (11/11/2003 by Paul Mulvey) and has several recipients.
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
JoAnn J. Dolan
Thomas Dukes
JoAnn J. Dolan, Ronald W. Miller, Thomas Dukes, Edward R. Cummings, Joshua L. Dorosin, Thomas Hemingway, Frederic L. Borch, Sean Connolly
Nov. 13, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3947
This email is a forward from JoAnn Dolan to Ronal Miller and others of an article in Nationwide News Party Limited, concerning Military Commissions for Foreign Detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
JoAnn J. Dolan
Ronald W. Miller | Ed Cummings | John W. Crowley
JoAnn J. Dolan, Ronald W. Miller, Todd F. Buchwald, Edward R. Cummings, Joshua L. Dorosin, Thomas Dukes, Whit Cobb
Dec. 11, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3948
Emails between Nina Schou, Robert Harris, JoAnn Dolan, Todd Buchwald and Others re: Human rights groups and members of the small overseas community of ethnic Uyghurs are urging the United States to scrap any plans to send back to China ethnic ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Nina E. Schou
Robert K. Harris | JoAnn J. Dolan | Todd F. Buchwald | Samuel M. Witten
Todd F. Buchwald, JoAnn J. Dolan, Nina E Schou, Joshua L. Dorosin, Samuel M. Witten, Ronald W. Miller
Dec. 18, 2003 | Judicial | ACLU-RDI 3949
This is the opinion in the Falen Gherebi v. Bush and Rumsfeld case: Index No: 03-55785; D.C. No. CV-03-01267-AHM.
Dec. 30, 2004
Judicial (Opinion)
Stephen Roy Reinhardt
Stephen Roy Reinhardt, George W. Bush, Donald H. Rumsfeld
Feb. 19, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3950
This email from JoAnn Dolan forwardeding a transcript of UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's statements regarding UK citizens detained at Guantanamo.
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
JoAnn J. Dolan
William Howard Taft, IV | Ronald W. Miller | Thomas Dukes | Ed Cummings | James H. Thessin | Todd F. Buchwald | Joshua L. Dorosin
JoAnn J. Dolan, William Howard Taft, IV, Ronald W. Miller, Thomas Dukes, Karen L. Hecker, James H. Thessin, Edward R. Cummings, Todd F. Buchwald, Joshua L. Dorosin, Laura H. Parsky
Dec. 17, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3951
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.
Dec. 30, 2004
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
Jan. 28, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3952
State Department talking points states that the legal status of detainees is being revied and that treatment of detainees is consistent the the Geneva conventions.
Feb. 07, 2002 | ACLU-RDI 3953
States U.S. policy on the treatment of Guantanamo detainees, dietary provisions, U.S. position on physical and mental abuse of detainees, ICRC access to detainees, long-term housing, unavailability of POW status to detainees and brief summary of ...
Dec. 10, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3954
DOS interagency delivery checklist for the appropriate handling and delivery of attached documents re: National Security Council Meeting on Detainees.
Dec. 08, 2003 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 3955
Letter from Nury A. Turkel, General Secretary, Uyghur American Association to Secretary of State Colin Powell requesting that the U.S. not returning the Uyghurs to China out of concern that they will be subject to persecution and torture. Mr. ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Letter
Nury A. Turkel
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
June 02, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3956
This cable from the U.S. Mission in Geneva, Switzerland to Sec. State Powell is a forward of a letter received from the United Nations Special Rapporteurs on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions and Torture. The letter requests that the ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
DOS | ACLU-RDI 3957
This State Department memo addresses the question of applying Article 5 of the Geneva Convention to the Guantanamo detainees. The memo states POW status does not apply to the Taliban or to Al Qaeda because they are: 1) not subject to military ...
DOS | ACLU-RDI 3958
This State Department memo addresses the question of applying Military Commissions to the Guantanamo detainees. The memo states 1) Military commissions are well-established in U.S. law and practice, as well as international law and practice; 2) ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Non-legal Memo
George W. Bush
Mar. 31, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3959
This State Department memo addresses the issue of transferring and repatriating the Guantanamo detainees against the requirements of the Geneva Convention. The memo highlights the Geneva Convention provision which states, in part, "POWs shall be ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Non-legal Memo
David W. Bowker
David W. Bowker, William Howard Taft, IV, James H. Thessin, Edward R. Cummings, Brent E. Blaschke
Apr. 28, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3960
Email from Jonathan Crock to JoAnn Dolan re "Saudi cable" sent to DOD. Doc not listed in DOS log.
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Jonathan M. Crock
JoAnn J. Dolan
JoAnn J. Dolan, William Howard Taft, IV, Ronald W. Miller, Pierre-Richard Prosper, Eliana Davidson, Charles A. Allen, Jonathan M. Crock
Apr. 26, 2003 | ACLU-RDI 3961
American Bar Association Resolution re: Independent Human Rights Monitors for all Non-U.S. Detainees Held in U. S. Custody. The resolution recommends that the U.S. ensure access by the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), the UN ...
July 14, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3962
Email from Mark W. Libby to Jonathan Crock re: Briefing Request. Remarks: Per Whitaker/Prosper conversation, please prepare a briefing memo for the Secretary's participation in this PC. Please deliver final, fully cleared memo to S/ES-S no later ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Mark W. Libby
Jonathan M. Crock
Jonathan M. Crock, Pierre-Richard Prosper
July 21, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3963
DOS Memo re: Talking Points on Australian National Detained at Guantanamo. The memo states that "Australian legal experts will visit the White House to discuss the issue of Australian nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay." and "The Legal Adviser ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Non-legal Memo
Colin L. Powell, Brent E. Blaschke , William Howard Taft, IV
July 21, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3964
Emails between Jonathan B. Schwartz and Diane McBride, Beverly S. Holman and Others re: UK Attorney General Goldsmith. Attachment not included.
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Jonathan B. Schwartz
Beverly S. Holman | Diane McBride
JoAnn J. Dolan, Beverly S. Holman, Diane McBride, Jonathan B. Schwartz
Nov. 26, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3965
Email from Waldo W. Brooks to JoAnn Dolan re: U.S. and Australia Announce Agreements on Guantanamo Detainees
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Waldo W. Brooks
JoAnn J. Dolan
Waldo W. Brooks , JoAnn J. Dolan
David Hicks
Nov. 26, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3966
Email from Clifton Johnson forwarding an article in the Independent (UK) with the headline "Guantanamo treatment is 'monstrous', says law lord", Dated November 26, 2003. The forwarding comments are: "Folks, The story below was in today's ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Clifton M. Johnson
Pierre-Richard Prosper | JoAnn J. Dolan | Jonathan M. Crock | Todd F. Buchwald | David A. Kaye
Clifton M. Johnson, Pierre-Richard Prosper, JoAnn J. Dolan, Jonathan M. Crock, Todd F. Buchwald
May 07, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3967
Email from Steve Solomon to JoAnn Dolan forwarding an email from Joseph Casey to Lynn Cassel with the subject "Wall Street Journal to Publish International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) February Report." The comments from Steve Solomon to ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Steve A. Solomon
JoAnn J. Dolan
Steven A. Solomon, JoAnn J. Dolan, Edward R. Cummings, Joseph P. Cassidy, Lynn L. Cassel, Kevin Edward Moley, Piper Anne Wind Campbell, Magda S. Siekert, Michael T. Peay
July 08, 2005 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3968
Email from Henry Bisharat to Betsy Anderson forwarding an article by the Associated Press re: "Swedish Man Is Released From Guantanamo." Mr. Bisharat comments are synopsizing the article and stating that he also heard Foreign Minister Freivalds ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
Henry Bisharat
Betsy L. Anderson
Henry Bisharat, Ronald W. Miller, Jonathan M. Crock, Heather A. Conley, Elizabeth H. Richard, JoAnn J. Dolan
Sept. 17, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3969
Emails between JoAnn Dolan Cynthis Francisco, Edward Betancourt and others re: Hamdi Cable. The email has an attachment with the comment "All Agree?" The attached document in entitled "Cable - Clarification on Hamdi."
Dec. 30, 2004
Email
JoAnn J. Dolan
Ronald W. Miller | Rexon Y. Ryu | Cynthia Stewart Francisco | Edward Betancourt | Catherine W. Brown | David Whiddon | Amal Patel
JoAnn J. Dolan
Yaser Esam Hamdi
Dec. 29, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3970
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.
Dec. 30, 2004
Letter, Judicial
Margaret P. Grafeld
Margaret P. Grafeld
May 27, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3971
This memo is background information on International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) President Kellenberger in preparation of a meeting with Sec. of State Powell.
Dec. 30, 2004
Non-legal Memo
Arthur E. Dewey
Colin L. Powell, Arthur E. Dewey
July 08, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3972
DOS Fax from Nichole Sobotha to Frank Geoffrey, JoAnn Dolan and Joshua L. Dorosin re: Letter from Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). ODIHR request for information regarding cases to be tried by the US in front of the ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Letter
Nichole Sobotka
JoAnn J. Dolan | Joshua L. Dorosin | Frank Gaffney
Joshua L. Dorosin, JoAnn J. Dolan, Francis M. Gaffney
Oct. 20, 2003 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 3973

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearing on Guantanamo Detainees re: Signature Page of Submission cover sheet, signed by Steven Watt (CCR), Viviana Krsticevic (CIJL), and Roxanna Altholz, (CIJL).

Oct. 20, 2003 | Non-US | ACLU-RDI 3974
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights litigation requesting that the Commission take measures to have the legal status of detainees held at Guantanamo be determined by a competent court, and to protect against the torture of detainees.
Dec. 30, 2004
Judicial (Pleading)
Physical assault, Assault/death, Stress positions, Isolation, Temperature, Threat, Environmental manipulation
Dec. 08, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3975
DOS Cover Sheet re: Summary of Conclusions for Principals Committee Meeting on Detainees 12/4/03
Dec. 11, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 3976
Memo summarizing request from the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) to meet and discuss the treatment of detainees and other humanitarian concerns. Recommends meeting in mid-January.
Dec. 30, 2004
Non-legal Memo
Arthur E. Dewey
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Arthur E. Dewey , Condoleeza Rice, Paula J. Dobriansky, William Howard Taft, IV, Paul Wolfowitz