President Obama Must Investigate Reports of Detainee Abuse at Bagram Air Base

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today called on President Obama to investigate BBC News reports that detainees being held by US forces at an undisclosed second detention facility at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan are allegedly being subjected to prolonged isolation, temperature manipulation, and sleep deprivation.

Cambridge, MA (Vocus/PRWEB ) May 11, 2010 -- Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today called on President Obama to investigate BBC News reports that detainees being held by US forces at an undisclosed second detention facility at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan are allegedly being subjected to prolonged isolation, temperature manipulation, and sleep deprivation.

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These techniques, regardless of which administration employs them, constitute torture

President Obama has said that he has ended the previous administration’s use of torture. Until these reports are fully investigated and these tactics are explicitly prohibited, the president’s statements ring hollow.

As long as Appendix M remains in effect, there is an asterisk next to the Obama administration’s claim that it does not authorize torture

Appendix M’s approval of sleep manipulation and isolation is a green light for the abuse of the health and human rights of detainees in US custody. The abuses allowed under Appendix M—and any others still practiced—must come to an end.

Those techniques—whether applied alone or in combination—can qualify as torture under US and international law, as demonstrated in the 2007 analysis by PHR and Human Rights First entitled Leave No Marks: Enhanced Interrogation Techniques and the Risk of Criminality and numerous US State Department human rights reports.

“These techniques, regardless of which administration employs them, constitute torture,” stated Frank Donaghue, CEO of Physicians for Human Rights. “President Obama has said that he has ended the previous administration’s use of torture. Until these reports are fully investigated and these tactics are explicitly prohibited, the president’s statements ring hollow.”

It is not yet clear under what authority, if any, the abusive techniques allegedly used at Bagram were approved, but it is possible that officials were relying on Appendix M of the 2006 Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations (AFM). That appendix authorizes the use of two of the tactics—sleep deprivation and isolation—allegedly being applied to detainees. The use of temperature manipulation is prohibited by the AFM. Since the release of the current AFM in September 2006, PHR has led the effort to rescind Appendix M.

“As long as Appendix M remains in effect, there is an asterisk next to the Obama administration’s claim that it does not authorize torture,” stated John Bradshaw, Washington Director of Physicians for Human Rights. “Appendix M’s approval of sleep manipulation and isolation is a green light for the abuse of the health and human rights of detainees in US custody. The abuses allowed under Appendix M—and any others still practiced—must come to an end.”

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes the health professions to advance the health and dignity of all people by protecting human rights. As a founding member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, PHR shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.

Media Contacts:

Benjamin Greenberg
bgreenberg(at)phrusa(dot)org
+1-617-510-3417

Stephen Greene
sgreene(at)phrusa(dot)org
+1-617-909-9160

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