Torture

Latest News and Press Releases

January 23, 2017

President Obama's Record and Legacy on Human Rights: On the Radio with WBEZ Chicago

Last Thursday on WBEZ Chicago’s Worldview, Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa Massimino joined the program to discuss President Obama’s legacy on human rights. Broaching topics such...

January 23, 2017

Washington Week on Human Rights: January 23, 2017

Top Items New Administration Today is the first full business day of the Trump Administration. The new president has promised to swiftly fulfill some of his campaign promises, including actions...

January 17, 2017

Washington Week on Human Rights: January 17, 2017

TOP ITEMS Inauguration On Friday President-elect Donald Trump will officially take the oath of office to become the 45th president of the United States. He will begin his term at a time when...

January 12, 2017

Trump Nominees Reject Use of Torture

Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today praised statements made by cabinet nominees during confirmation hearings this week rejecting the use of torture, and reiterates its call for President-elect...

January 11, 2017

Questions Remain Following Sessions Confirmation Hearing

Washington, D.C.—Following yesterday's Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), nominee for Attorney General, Human Rights First said that it will hold...

January 10, 2017

Soldier Who Wrote of Detainee Abuse Submits Statement on Senator Sessions

In 2005, then-U.S. Army Captain Ian Fishback wrote a letter to Senator John McCain (R-AZ), expressing his concern over the detainee abuse he and troops under his command had witnessed in Iraq and...

January 09, 2017

Senate Urged to Question Cabinet Nominees on Commitment to Upholding Human Rights During Confirmation Hearings

Washington, D.C. - Human Rights First today urged the Senate to question cabinet nominees on their commitment to fundamental principles of human rights during confirmation hearings taking place this...

Resources

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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

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...

Factsheet | March 14, 2018

Backgrounder: Gina Haspel, Nominee for CIA Director

The administration has nominated Gina Haspel to be the director of the CIA. Haspel played a central role in the CIA’s torture program. She ran a CIA “black site”—a secret prison where detainees were...

Factsheet | February 06, 2018

The Trump Administration's Executive Order on Guantanamo

During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump pledged to “load [Guantanamo] up with some bad dudes.” Just prior to his first State of the Union address, President Trump...

Issue Brief | February 01, 2018

Law Enforcement Interrogation of Terrorism Suspects

When terrorism suspects are captured or arrested, it is important for the United States to learn all that it can from these individuals to prevent future attacks and gain knowledge about terrorist...