Letter to Kuwait Ambassador Al-Sabah - Murphy, Cardin, Warnock Urge Kuwait to Investigate Allegations of Torture, Denial of Due Process for U.S. Military Contractors in Their Custody
Letter
Ambassador Al-Sabah:
We write to express grave concern with the credible allegations of torture and denial of due process of law by the government of Kuwait alleged in the Oct. 28, 2020, New York Times report "Arrested, Tortured, Imprisoned: The U.S. Contractors Abandoned in Kuwait." While we respect the government of Kuwait's right to enforce its laws, these reports contain disturbing allegations that American citizens were subjected to torture, deprived of due process by the justice system, and detained in inferior conditions because they are American.
We hope we can agree that these allegations, if true, are patently unacceptable. Given the government of Kuwait's commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law, we request that your government launch a full and public investigation into these allegations. We also request an update on the cases of all American citizens imprisoned in Kuwait who were working on behalf of the American government and allege torture and/or denial of due process, including:
Justin Morrison
Roctavius Bailey
Jermaine Rogers
Tyronne Peterson
Eric Pruitt
Corey Jones
Finally, we would like to draw specific attention to the cases of Eric Pruitt and Justin Morrison. Eric Pruitt remains on death row and it is alleged that Mr. Morrison was assaulted by Kuwaiti prison guards, suffered brain damage as a result, and, despite showing signs of mental illness, was tried, convicted, and is incarcerated in Kuwait Central Prison. Furthermore, we understand that his mental and physical health are continuing to decline and strongly urge your government to move him to a specialized care facility, or more appropriately, provide for compassionate release from incarceration.
We hold profound respect and gratitude for the strong and historic alliance between our two nations and thank you for your attention to this vital matter.
Signed,
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