Revealing the 'Dark Side': New Report on Post-9/11 Torture

The Open Society Justice Initiative (Open Society Foundations) has released a new publication entitled "Globalizing Torture: CIA Secret Detention and Extraordinary Rendtion". This report urges the United States, as well as other foreign governments, to release the full truth regarding the use of secret detention sites, extra-legal rendition, and torture as methods of counter-terrorism in the post-9/11 environment. The report claims that as George W. "embraced the 'dark side'", a new paradigm was created "with little regard for the constraints of domestic and international law." Not only does the report seek to chastise the United States for its role, but it also argues that over 50 foreign governments either participated in, or were complicit in such U.S. activities.

"By enlisting the participation of dozens of foreign governments in these violations, the United States further undermined longstanding human rights protections enshrined in international law—including, in particular, the norm against torture. [...] In the face of this trend, the time has come for the United States and its partner governments to own up to their responsibility for secret detention and extraordinary rendition operations. If they do not seize this opportunity, chances are that the truth will emerge by other means to embarrass them. The taint of torture associated with secret detention and extraordinary rendition operations will continue to cling to the United States and its partner governments as long as they fail to air the truth and hold their officials accountable. The impunity currently enjoyed by responsible parties also paves the way for future abuses in counterterrorism operations."

The report issues a series of recommendations: nine for the U.S. government and six for foreign governments that participated in the detention and rendition operations. In both sets, there is a call for the disclosure of information regarding past and present human rights violations, as well as criminal investigations to hold legally accountable those who authorized such operations.

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