Anthony D. Romero / Executive Director, ACLU – 2005-03-02 20:06:10

This morning, the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit charging that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld bears direct responsibility for the torture and abuse of detainees in US military custody. The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that Secretary Rumsfeld violated the US Constitution and international laws.

Officials at the highest levels of government bear the ultimate responsibility for the actions of the US military.

I urge you to join us in our call for accountability by viewing a two-minute Web movie and calling on the Attorney General to appoint an outside special counsel to investigate how our government’s torture policies took such a misguided path.

This landmark lawsuit was filed by a coalition of human rights advocates on behalf of eight former detainees who were incarcerated in US detention facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, where they were subjected to torture and other cruel and degrading treatment. None of the men was ever charged with a crime.

Because I know you care about the guiding values of justice and liberty that define American life, I’m writing to ask you join us in seeking to hold our leaders accountable for the torture carried out in our name.

• 1. Watch our Web movie:http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=17572&c=206<.a>