USA: Senate motion against cruel and degrading treatment
The Senate's leadership affirming the ban on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and moving toward
establishing uniform standards on treatment of detainees is welcome. It is crucial that the U.S. government provides
clear guidance for its soldiers and personnel in this regard and abides by its international obligations.
Amnesty International urges the Senate to go further by establishing an independent commission to conduct an open and
comprehensive investigation into the abuses in Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, to ensure that such violations do not occur
again. The investigation must go up the chain of command to those responsible for creating an atmosphere allowing and
condoning such actions, and not focus instead almost exclusively on the lower ranking soldiers.
The White House should embrace the McCain amendment as is. It as an important step toward protecting the rights of all
human beings by providing clear guidance on humane treatment.