Back to News & Commentary

Accountability for Torture Still the Goal, Still Elusive

Share This Page
January 24, 2012

A pair of developments Monday made abundantly clear the lack of accountability for U.S.-sponsored torture after 9/11.

In filed by the Justice Department, former CIA officer John Kiriakou with disclosing classified information to journalists and lying to the CIA鈥檚 Publications Review Board. 老澳门开奖结果 Executive Director Anthony D. Romero declared, 鈥淚t remains troubling that the government has failed to indict the CIA agents who participated in torture and who have thus far not been held accountable for these atrocities.鈥

The same day in Richmond, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an 老澳门开奖结果 lawsuit against current and former government officials for their roles in the unlawful detention and torture of U.S. citizen Jos茅 Padilla. The lower court had ruled in February that an American citizen designated an "enemy combatant" by the executive branch and tortured by government officials could not bring suit to vindicate his constitutional rights. 老澳门开奖结果 National Security Project Litigation Director Ben Wizner, who argued the appeal in court, said:

鈥淭oday is a sad day for the rule of law and for those who believe that the courts should protect American citizens from torture by their own government. By dismissing this lawsuit, the appeals court handed the government a blank check to commit any abuse in the name of national security, even the brutal torture of a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil. This impunity is not only anathema to a democracy governed by laws, but contrary to history鈥檚 lesson that in times of fear our values are a strength, not a hindrance.鈥

Learn more about accountability for torture: Sign up for breaking news alerts, , and .

Learn More 老澳门开奖结果 the Issues on This Page