Defense Department Refuses to Turn Over Abuse Photographs; Asks to File

[Jon8503]

Secret Brief Justifying Refusal:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: [e-mail]

NEW YORK -- Today was the day the government was supposed to process and redact photographs and videos relating to the abuse and torture of prisoners held abroad. Raising new arguments on the eve of its deadline, the United States government refused to release the materials to the public. The photographs and videos were to be processed for eventual release as a result of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations.

"The government is raising newfound reasons for withholding records to which the public has an undeniable right," said Amrit Singh, a staff attorney with the ACLU. "Instead of releasing these records and holding officials accountable for detainee abuse, the government now seeks to shield itself from public scrutiny by filing these reasons in secret."

In a letter filed at the eleventh hour, the Department of Defense claims that photographs and videos of abuse that the court had previously ordered redacted for future release "could result in harm to individuals" for reasons that will be set forth in a memorandum and three declarations that the government will file under seal with the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York.

Under the government’s proposal, the documents explaining the government’s reasons for withholding the images of abuse will not be available to the public except in redacted form, and the photographs and videos may never be made public.


http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18811&c=206&s_src=RSS

[BeHereNow]

1. Uh-huh- and which individuals would that be?

I think we all know.
I hope the ACLU fights this to the end.
Americans deserve to know how their tax dollars are
being spent- PLUS, I want accountabilty from my country.
If they decide to pursue a path of human rights atrocities,
then they must be accountable to the American people
for that choice.
BHN