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McCollum Condemns Torture By Syria and Calls on Bush Administration to End Torture "Outsourcing"

Date: March 17, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights


McCollum Condemns Torture By Syria and Calls on Bush Administration to End Torture "Outsourcing"
Thursday, March 17, 2005

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) condemned the gross violations of human rights and civil liberties of the Syrian and Lebanese people by the government of Syria. In addition, McCollum called on President Bush to order an immediate moratorium on the rendition of persons to Syria and all countries that routinely use torture as reported by the Department of State's 2004 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

McCollum's statement follows:

"I support this resolution; however I do so with serious concerns. Torture is a crime and a vile human rights abuse. Syria should be condemned in the strongest possible terms for committing acts of torture against detainees and prisoners. This is why I support the resolution.

"Yet, the fact that our government has sent detainees to Syria knowing that these individuals would be tortured and abused is morally repugnant and violates international as well as U.S. law.

"The practice of extraordinary rendition - our government's practice of outsourcing torture to countries like Syria must also be condemned, repudiated and immediately ordered stopped by President Bush.

"Human Rights Watch, which is frequently cited as an authoritative source in this resolution, has stated that the U.S. policy of "denouncing torture in Syria, and then handing over prisoners to Syrian torturers sends the ultimate mixed message.

"Syria is a notorious violator of human rights that should be condemned. The hypocrisy of our government using Syrian torturers as a sub-contractor to immorally and illegally commit human rights abuses is shamefully absent from this resolution."

McCollum delivered this statement in support of H.Con.Res. 18, a resolution condemning the gross violations of human rights and civil liberties of the Syrian and Lebanese people by the government of Syria.

http://mccollum.house.gov/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={2ECCE2A9-11A9-4E77-B2CA-83F74BF2DD44}&DE={1BBE3499-4EAB-4B64-9FA7-34EAAF05BE73}

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