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 (78)

RelevanceDateRelease Date
June 14, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4256
State Department cable concerning several press reports focusing on the situation in Iraq and Saudi Araiba. International media attention focused on human rights issues, specifically Abu Graib and the killing of civilians in U.S. air strikes and ...
Dec. 20, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
George W. Bush, Colin L. Powell
May 21, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4259
State Department cable concerning Sec. of State Powell's meeting with the Pakistani Foreign Minister Kasuri to discuss India, Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Nations Security Council. The cable is mostly redacted, but includes a discussion on ...
Dec. 20, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
June 09, 2004 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4260
State Department cable concerning the efforts to repatriate Iranian Mujaheddin E-Khalk members back to Iran. The Mujaheddin E-Khalk members infiltrated Iraq and threatened the peace and stability of the country, but approx. 3,800 of Mujaheddin ...
Dec. 20, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Feb. 08, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4321
State Department cable stating that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters are enemy combatants and will not be afforded the Geneva Conventions, but will be treated humanely and in accordance with the principles of the Geneva Convention. "The U.S. is ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
George W. Bush, Colin L. Powell
Mar. 21, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4322
State Department cable concerning the procedures for U.S. Military commissions that may be established to try suspected Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrrorists. This State Department cable provides talking points for US mission & Embassy officials to ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, George W. Bush
Mar. 18, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4326
This DOS cable is to provide guidance in addressing questions concerning the treatment of detainees under U.S. control. The cable states that the U.S. Anticipates Receiving Questions About Torture During the Current Session of the Commission on ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Sept. 04, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4334
State Department cable with talking points and guidance for answering questions from the press regarding; i) the Saudi detainees at Guantanamno; ii) Libia/Pan-Am 103 UN santions and Possible French Veto; iii) Jordan Investigation into shooting of ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Sept. 16, 2003 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4335
This State Department cable provides talking points for a presentation to the Netherlands-Helsinki Committee meeting in the Hague in September 2003. The statement is about the military commissions and the Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters who will be ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell
Jan. 23, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4346
State Department cable concerning the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Staff meeting notes from January 23, 2002. Multiple topics, including detainees. "Public Reaction re detainees is turning very negative." Concerns of various countries ...
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell, Paula J. Dobriansky
Jan. 26, 2002 | DOS | ACLU-RDI 4347
DOS Cable re: Update on Various Issues for the Secretary: Guantanamo; NATO; and Foreign Affairs
Dec. 17, 2004
Cable
Colin L. Powell
Colin L. Powell