Summary
If an inmate gets out of a CIA secret prison-and some have-to get into one of our courts and claim that he or she has been tortured or otherwise treated inhumanely in violation of U.S. and international laws, that person's lawyer can cite the United Nations' "Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and OtherCruel, Inhuman or DegradingTreatment or Punishment," issued on August 9,1999: "The absence of physical evidence should not be construed to suggest that torture did not occur, since such acts of violence against persons frequently leave no marks or permanent scars" (emphasis added). The Leave No Marks report adds: "Officials who authorize these techniques... are at significant risk: namely, that in future trials involvingthe War Crimes Act and other legal prohibitions described in this report, courts will be presented with credible and compelling evidence of harm-provided by medical and psychological experts skilled in the documentation of physical and psychological consequences of torture and ill treatment, in accordance with internationally accepted protocols."
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Extract
Bush to Cia: 'Leave No Marks'
On July 20, George W. Bush issued an executive order authorizing the CIA to use "enhanced" techniques (as the president likes to call them) in its terror interrogation program-including in the CIA's secret prisons, known internationally as "black sites."
CIA director Michael Hayden assures us that "now our mission and authorities [to con...See the full content of this document
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