Charges of Human Rights Abuses to Be Presented Against Bush, Cheney, et alia

This event is open to the public and scheduled for the day before a massive peace demonstration in Washington, D.C., so please plan on attending:

3:15-4:15 p.m. on March 20, 2009, at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 1889 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20006

Colleen Costello of Human Rights USA will present evidence of human rights abuses by the U.S. government and will ask the Commission to issue recommendations to the United States that it investigate and prosecute former high-level officials responsible for authorizing or directing torture and other major human rights abuses.

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ALSO: From Center for Constitutional Rights:

As the atrocities of the Bush administration continue to be exposed, it is critical now more than ever to keep up the pressure and demand accountability from the high-ranking officials responsible for torture and war crimes.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), a pan-American body dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights, is conducting a hearing at the request of CCR and the World Organization for Human Rights USA. On Friday, March 20, 2009 CCR President Michael Ratner will argue that U.S. officials must be held accountable for human rights violations, on live webcast on Friday, March 20, from 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM at http://www.oas.org/OASpage/Live, the website of the Organization of American States. It will be archived thereafter at the IACHR website, http://www.iachr.org/.

CCR and HRUSA will argue that the Commission should:

* Issue official recommendations to the United States to engage in criminal investigations and prosecutions for torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment;
* Reform laws that prevent the victims of U.S. policies from learning the truth about these abuses; and
* Make reparations to victims of human rights abuses committed by the U.S. government.

In addition to the IACHR hearing, which further demonstrates the need for prosecutions of Bush administration officials, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) compiled an extensive confidential report that was leaked to journalist Mark Danner. The ICRC report exposes the systematic use of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment against detainees in secret CIA "black sites." Using information from the report, Danner compellingly exposes the "enhanced interrogation techniques" for what they are - brutal crimes authorized at the highest levels of the Bush administration.

Also in the news, former vice president Dick Cheney, once again justified the criminal conduct of the Bush administration and called for the resumption of his programs in an interview with CNN this week. Cheney participated in the so-called Principals Committee meetings that authorized torture and war crimes, and has repeatedly and openly defended the use of torture, including waterboarding. CCR's 100 Days campaign offers actions, tools and resources to hold war criminals like Cheney accountable for torture and other human rights abuses.

Stand with us to secure justice for the victims and survivors of the Bush administration's crimes.

Sincerely,

Annette Dickerson
Director of Education and Outreach