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 (96)

RelevanceDateRelease Date
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
Discussion of the President's classification of six detainees as enemy combatants. Discusses the government's treatment of individuals classified as enemy combatants and how they will be tried, if tried.
May 04, 2005
Cable
Ronald W. Miller
This State Department cable provides insight on a trip to Baghdad, Iraq by President of the International Committee for the Red Cross Kellenberger. Mr. Kellenberger privately shared his impressions of the situation in Iraq with U.S. Ambassador ...
Nov. 23, 2004
Cable
Kevin Edward Moley
State Department cable concerning the identification of detainees at Guantanamo. Specifically, the cable states "It was recently discovered that several detainees transferred to Guantanamo who were previously reported to be nationals of ...
Jan. 12, 2005
Cable
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable with talking points to address concerns of foreign governments about their citizens being held at Guantanamo. The cable states; 1) These individuals pose a threat to the United States and international peace and security ...
Jan. 12, 2005
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
State Department cable with talking points to address concerns of foreign governments about their citizens being held at Guantanamo. The cable states; 1) These individuals pose a threat to the United States and international peace and security ...
Jan. 12, 2005
Cable
Colin L. Powell
This State Department cable provides talking points concerning informing foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan, and policy guidance for ...
State Department cable to the London Mission with an attached letter from Sec. Powell to be delivered to Edward Davey Member of the UK House of Commons, briefly explaining U.S. policy regarding access to detainees.
Jan. 12, 2005
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
This State Department cable provides talking points concerning informing foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan, and policy guidance for ...
Jan. 12, 2005
Cable
Pierre-Richard Prosper
Pierre-Richard Prosper
This State Department cable provides talking points concerning informing foreign governments about the transfer of their citizens/nationals to Guantanamo after they were picked-up on the battle field of Afghanistan, and policy guidance for ...
Jan. 12, 2005
Cable
Pierre-Richard Prosper