Torture

Latest News and Press Releases

February 09, 2017

Despite so much bad news coming out of Washington, we won a major victory this week: President Trump abandoned his threat to reinstate the torture program. On the campaign trail...

February 08, 2017

New Attorney General Jeff Sessions Should Honor his Pledges to Uphold the Law

New York City-- Human Rights First today urged the newly confirmed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to enforce and uphold the law as he has pledged to do. The organization said that it will hold...

February 08, 2017

New Draft Executive Order: Bad on Guantanamo, Silent on Torture

This morning the New York Times released a draft executive order from the Trump Administration that calls for continued use of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The order explicitly...

February 08, 2017

Revised Executive Order Backs off Dangerous Black Site Proposal, Keeps Guantanamo Open

Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First condemned a draft executive order released today by The New York Times that would continue to hold individuals at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, a move...

February 06, 2017

Washington Week on Human Rights: February 6, 2017

TOP ITEMS Muslim Ban Temporarily Halted A decision Sunday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit preserved a lower judge’s order to temporarily halt implementation of President Trump’...

January 30, 2017

Human Rights, Civil Liberties, and Religious Groups Urge Trump to Stand against Torture

By Camille Marrero Last week, a diverse coalition of human rights, civil liberties, and religious groups wrote to President Trump opposing any executive action that would facilitate torture or...

January 25, 2017

Statement on Proposed Torture, Detention Executive Orders

Washington, D.C.—In response to reports that the President Trump may sign executive orders impacting the United States’ torture, rendition, and detention programs, Human Rights First has issued...

Resources

Letter-resource-image-628x365.jpg

Letter | 2018

Coalition Letter on Gina Haspel Nomination

Dear Senator,

We write to express our grave concerns regarding the nomination of Gina Haspel for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and to ask that you not advance her nomination until all of the records on her past involvement in the CIA torture program are

Factsheet | May 24, 2018

Gina Haspel, CIA Director

On May 17, 2018, the Senate voted to confirm Gina Haspel as director of the CIA. She was confirmed by a vote of 54-45—the lowest number of affirmative votes for any CIA director in history. Haspel...

Letter | May 08, 2018

Letter to Senators in Opposition to Nomination of Gina Haspel to Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

Download Dear Senator: Even in times of crisis, the United States prides itself on remaining committed to American values and universal ideals. This means that our leaders and government...

Letter | April 23, 2018

109 Retired Military Leaders Raise Concerns About CIA Nominee Gina Haspel

Dear Senator: As retired general and flag officers of the United States military, we write to express our profound concern about the nomination of Gina Haspel to be Director of the Central...

Letter | March 16, 2018

Coalition Letter on Gina Haspel Nomination

Dear Senator, We write to express our grave concerns regarding the nomination of Gina Haspel for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and to ask that you not advance her...