Latest News

Detainees allege they were tortured and held in secret prisons in Poland

The European Court of Human Rights is currently hearing the case of Abu Zubaydah v Poland brought by two terror suspects currently held at Guantanamo Bay.  They allege human rights abuses by Poland, namely that a CIA 'black site', or secret prison, existed in Poland between 2002 and 2003 and that the Polish Government was aware of its existence and use in the CIA's extraordinary rendition programme.  More can be read here.

ACLU sues CIA for Reports on Extraordinary Rendition Programme

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a Freedom of Information lawsuit against the CIA to seek the disclosure of the Senate Intelligence Committee's Torture 6000+ page report and the CIA's response to it.  The Senate report is the most comprehensive review of the CIA's extraordinary rendition programme to date.  More can be read here.

Upper Tribunal Finds that APPG was subject to avoidable unfairness in the pursuit of its Freedom of Information requests

The Upper Tribunal has now upheld part of the APPG's appeal against the refusal of the Foregin and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to disclose further information regarding the UK's role in extraordinary rendition.

The APPG is now considering its options in light of the Upper Tribunal's judgment.  The judgment can be read here.

 

Publication of Detainee Inquiry torture report delayed at the last minute

The preliminary report of the Gibson Inquiry on the extent of British involvement in extraordinary rendition and possible mistreatment of detainees was to be published last week.  However, the Government delayed its release last minute for reasons that are not entirely clear.  More can be read here.

Detainee Inquiry preliminary report to be published this week

It reportedly concludes that UK intelligence officers knew of mistreatment of detainees at US-run detention facilities in Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and Pakistan.  The Gibson Inquiry report was delivered to the Prime Minister on 27 June 2012.  More can be read here and here. 

New Report Finds Medical Personnel Complicit in Torture of Detainees

The report, which was published by the Institute on Medicine as a Profession and the Open Society Foundations, accuses the US Government of directing medical personnel to ignore their professional code of ethics and collaborate in security practices that were detrimental to the detainees and constituted torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.  Ethics Abandoned can be read here.  More can be read here.

Intelligence and Security Committee Holds First Open Evidence Session with Three Heads of UK Intelligence Agencies

The uncorrected transcript from the session, held on 7 November 2013, can be read here.

Parliament debates Oversight of the Intelligence and Security Services

The Westminster Hall debate on the Oversight of the Intelligence and Security Services, held on 31 October 2013, can be read here.