McCollum Demands Immediate End to U.S. Outsourcing of Torture

McCollum Demands Immediate End to U.S. Outsourcing of Torture
Thursday, March 10, 2005

Expresses Strong Support for the Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act Introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (MA-07)

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) joined Representative Edward Markey (MA-07) and several prominent human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International to demand an end to the Bush Administration's practice of 'outsourcing torture' through extraordinary rendition, the practice of sending prisoners to countries than are known human rights abusers.

"The fact that the Bush Administration has been sending detainees to countries like Syria and Egypt to be tortured, abused and mistreated is morally repugnant, not to mention illegal," said McCollum. "President Bush has an easy choice to make - issue an executive order establishing an immediate moratorium on extraordinary rendition or continue the shameful and immoral practice of outsourcing torture."

In the wake of several press reports, confirming that the White House has authorized the CIA to hand over prisoners to other countries for interrogation, including countries known to routinely practice torture, Rep. McCollum has cosponsored the Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act (H.R. 952) that would prevent the practice of sending prisoners to countries that are known rights abusers. This legislation was introduced by Rep. Markey and currently has 46 cosponsors.

http://mccollum.house.gov/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={2ECCE2A9-11A9-4E77-B2CA-83F74BF2DD44}&DE={5DF2FFD5-B327-44C1-97C8-0787FD25B658}