President Bush's Veto of Intelligence Authorization Bill Continues the 'We Don't Torture' Charade, Says Amnesty International
Group Urges U.S. House and Senate to Push for Investigation and Accountability WASHINGTON, March 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA executive director, issued the following statement in response to President Bush's veto of H.R. 2082, the Intelligence Authorization bill, which prevents the Central Intelligence Agency and other U.S. agents from using waterboarding, sexual humiliation, dogs and other techniques that amount to torture and ill-treatment. Majorities of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate voted in favor of such limits:
"President Bush's veto, in essence, spat on domestic and international law and compromised human rights to justify illegal, ineffective and immoral practices. "The Bush administration continues its stubborn and reckless disregard for basic decency and values the United States should model. The president's action further compounds the incalculable damage to United States' standing at home and abroad.
"While Amnesty International applauds the U.S. House and Senate for rejecting the bogus arguments validating torture as an interrogation tactic, Congress needs finally to shoulder its responsibility to immediately mandate an independent investigation into the heaps of highly credible evidence of illegal and inhumane actions in the war on terror, and then prosecute those responsible promptly. "While asserting that the United States 'does not torture,' as he vetoes anti-torture legislation, President Bush's rhetoric rings more hollow than ever."
CONTACT: Sharon Singh of Amnesty International USA, Mobile,
2008-03-08 09:02:09 0307598 PRNEWSWIRE
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