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 (69)

RelevanceDateRelease Date
May 14, 2004 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 797
This statement of the Lieutenant Colonel in charge of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade discusses his assumption of command of the military intelligence operations component at Abu Ghraib prison in July 2003. He discusses his chain of ...
Mar. 03, 2005
Interview (Statement)
Walter Wojdakowski, Ricardo Sanchez, Steven Boltz, Geoffrey D. Miller, Barbara G. Fast, Donald J. Ryder, Janis Leigh Karpinski
Physical assault, Sexual, General, Sleep deprivation, Other Humiliation, Other
June 01, 2004 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 867
Sworn statement of Lieutenant Colonel with the 115th Military Police Battalion. The LTC recalled being aware of one incident where a soldier urinated on a detainee. He also recalled another incident where a detainee returned to the SP/CF area ...
Mar. 03, 2005
Interview (Statement)
Buford Blount, III, Janis Leigh Karpinski, Thomas Pappas, Keith Dayton, Geoffrey D. Miller
Physical assault, General, Sleep deprivation, Nudity, Other Humiliation, Sexual, Other
May 25, 2004 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 900
This sworn statement is by a civilian contractor with the Titan Corp. assigned to Abu Ghraib prison on October 13, 2003 as a Linguist/Translator to conduct translation services during interrogations at the prison. The translator recalled hearing ...
Mar. 03, 2005
Interview (Statement)
Thomas Pappas
Use of water, Other, Stress positions, Use of phobias, Sleep deprivation, Nudity, Other Humiliation, Sexual, Forced grooming
Aug. 03, 2004 | CID | ACLU-RDI 83
Army commenced an investigation prompted by "allegations documented in an excerpt from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the Treatment by the Coalition Forces of Prisoners of War and Other Protected Persons by the Geneva ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Investigative File (CID)
Jacqueline J. Scott
Use of water, Other, Physical assault, General, Stress positions, Sleep deprivation, Environmental manipulation, Temperature, Nudity
July 05, 2004 | CID | ACLU-RDI 91
Investigation prompted by NYT article containing victim's allegations of torture and abuse during detention in Abu Ghraib from November 29 through December 31, 2003. Investigation concludes there is not “sufficient evidence to prove or disprove ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Investigative File (CID)
Jacqueline J. Scott, John Peterson
Bisher Amin Khalil al Rawi
Use of water, Other, Physical assault, General, Threat, Assault/death, Stress positions, Use of phobias, Sleep deprivation, Environmental manipulation, Light or sound, Hooding/Goggling, Nudity, Other Humiliation
July 08, 2004 | CID | ACLU-RDI 92
CID Report of investigation into detainee's allegations of abuse while in U.S. custody at Mosul Airport, Iraq, over three day period. The detainee claimed to have sustained a bruise to his left shoulder and scratched during his capture. Once in ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Investigative File (CID)
Jacqueline J. Scott, John Peterson
Use of water, Water dousing, Physical assault, Face slap or insult slap, Walling, General, Threat, Assault/death, Family/others, Sleep deprivation, Dietary manipulation, Environmental manipulation, Light or sound, Temperature, Hooding/Goggling
July 17, 2004 | CID | ACLU-RDI 97
CID Report of investigation regarding alleged abuse of detainee at unknown detention facility in Tikrit, Iraq. Detainee picked up by Iraqi Police on or about April 15, 2004. He was interviewed with the assistance of an interpreter on May 5, ...
Dec. 30, 2004
Investigative File (CID)
John Peterson
Physical assault, General, Stress positions, Cramped confinement, Sleep deprivation, Environmental manipulation, Hooding/Goggling, Nudity
Oct. 03, 2003 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 237
Interrogation Rules of Engagement for the 205th MI Brigade, Iraq. Sets forth techniques for use on detainees, of which, including isolation for more than 30 days and the presence of military working dogs, requires the Commanding General's ...
Oct. 19, 2004
Non-legal Memo, Other
Stress positions, Use of phobias, Sleep deprivation, Isolation, Dietary manipulation, Environmental manipulation, Light or sound, Temperature
Feb. 09, 2004 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 254
This is the transcript of Gen. Taguba’s deposition of Gen. Pappas re: Abu Ghraib prison. It contains specific Q&A’s about responsibility for the security and different elements of prison/base operations. Abuse of detainees is brought out as well ...
Oct. 19, 2004
Interview (Transcript)
Antonio Taguba, David D. McKiernan, Ricardo Sanchez, Janis Leigh Karpinski, Keith Dayton, Geoffrey D. Miller, Walter Wojdakowski
Physical assault, Sexual, Use of phobias, Sleep deprivation, Nudity, Other Humiliation, Sexual
Feb. 14, 2004 | DOA | ACLU-RDI 256
Interview conducted by Gen. Taguba of Lt. Colonel James O'Hare of the 800th Military Police Brigade. The Lt. Colonel goes in to detail about how he came to his assignment in Iraq as well as his experiences at Abu Ghraib prison. On his experience ...
Oct. 19, 2004
Interview (Transcript)
Antonio Taguba, David D. McKiernan, Janis Leigh Karpinski, Henry B. Nelson, Gary M. Kluka, John E. Davis, James E. O'Hare, William D. Proietto, Paul Hill, Ricardo Sanchez
Threat, Assault/death, Sleep deprivation, Isolation, Nudity