Urge Congress members to ban 'torture by proxy' or extraordinary rendition

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An action alert from UUSC, with a web form for composing letters to your legislators.

U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, has introduced a bill of crucial importance to our collective efforts to abolish torture. The bill needs and deserves our strong and urgent support. Rep. Markey is a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security.

As discussed below, after Sept. 11 the United States greatly increased its practice of “extraordinary rendition.” Under this practice, a person detained abroad or in the United States under suspicion of terrorist links, may be sent to a third country for interrogation even though that country is well known for its use of torture. In short, we have been engaging in a broad practice of “torture by proxy.”

The extraordinary rendition practices are in fact a serious violation of both international treaties as well as U.S. domestic laws. Under Rep. Markey’s bill, such practice would be expressly banned.

Please call or write your members of Congress now to express your vigorous support for Rep. Markey’s “The Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act.” The congressional switchboard telephone number is 202-224-3121. Your calls have impact! You may also send a written message via e-mail through our online Legislative Action Center.

http://www.congress.org/uusc/issues/alert/?alertid=7166486