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 (65)

RelevanceDateRelease Date
June 29, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 1045
A 27 year-old male Iraqi detainee brought to Army hospital following arrest for theft. The Detainee complained of pain in ribs & shoulder; difficulty breathing; and pain in lower left abdominal. Exam showed a possible broken collar bone, ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Physical (non-death))
Physical assault, Face slap or insult slap, General
Feb. 25, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 992
Autopsy No: A02-95. 35-year-old Afghan male civilian detainee was found unresponsive and retained in his cell and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the 339th CSH, Bagram Air Field. Cause of Death: Blunt force injuries to lower extremities ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Medical (Autopsy, Death Certificate)
Physical assault, General
Aug. 28, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 987
This Charge Sheet describes charges brought against Soldiers who staged a mock execution on an Iraqi boy (13-17 years old) by driving him to a field and firing live rounds near his head. They claim it was done to scare him off from looting. The ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Legal Memo, UCMJ (Court-Martial)
Physical assault, General, Threat, Assault/death
Oct. 16, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 985
A Staff Sargent near Tikrit, Iraq, on September 11, 2003, shot an Iraqi detainee. The shooting was described as "willfully and unlawful". The detainee was shot in the abdomen with a rifle. The SSGT admitted to the act and pleaded for leniency.
Apr. 18, 2005
Non-legal Memo, Investigative File (AR 15-6)
Raymond T. Odierno
Physical assault, General
Dec. 12, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 981
A soldier was convicted for threatening a detainee with a loaded weapon. Punishment includes: 180 day suspension, $250/month forfeiture for two months. The inquiry found that the soldier threatened and fired their weapon in an effort to scare ...
Apr. 18, 2005
UCMJ (Article 15)
Physical assault, General, Threat, Assault/death
Sept. 06, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 980

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
July 24, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 978
Following a roadside incident two (2) Iraqi civilians were awaiting soldier's investigation in to the matter, with their hands up and without any weapons. Several of these soldiers [proceeded to] punch, kick, butt stroke, and shout at the ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Investigative File, Photograph
Physical assault, Face slap or insult slap, General
Oct. 29, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 977
Army AR 15-6 Investigation in to abuse allegations by a soldiers upon an Iraqi detainees in US custody. Three (3) soldiers at FOB entered the detainee holding area and "proceeded to enter the holding cell and physically assault the four (4) ...
Apr. 18, 2005
Investigative File
Physical assault, General
Sept. 21, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 708
The interviewee, a Sergeant First Class with the 229th Military Police Company. Recounted the beating of a detainee after detainee was suspected of being involved in a mortar attack of a camp. The interviewee recalled two soldiers approaching a ...
Mar. 03, 2005
Interview (Statement)
Physical assault, General
| ACLU-RDI