ACLU Statement on CIA Torture Program Rulings From European Court of Human Rights
STRASBOURG, France — The European Court of Human Rights today found Lithuania and Romania were complicit in the CIA’s illegal torture and rendition programs. The decisions were in the cases of Abu Zubaydah v. Lithuania and Al Nashiri v. Romania.
Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Security Project, issued the following statement on the rulings:
“The European Court of Human Rights rightly held Lithuania and Romania accountable for their involvement in the CIA’s inhuman treatment, secret detention, and rendition of Abu Zubaydah and Al Nashiri. These decisions stand in sharp contrast to the United States’ shameful record. Here, courts have largely failed to hold CIA officials accountable for torture, and Congress has confirmed as CIA director a Trump administration nominee who oversaw torture.”
Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s Human Rights Program, added:
“We applaud the years-long effort of anti-torture advocates and investigators that resulted in today’s historic decisions. Their achievement serves as yet another warning that anti-torture advocates will not relent in seeking full transparency and accountability for the CIA’s horrific abuses in violation of U.S. and international law.”
Human Rights in Practice represented Abu Zubaydah in Abu Zubaydah v. Lithuania. The Open Society Justice Initiative brought the Al Nashiri v. Romania case. Both in the U.S. and abroad, the ACLU also continues to seek accountability for unlawful CIA detention and torture, including by representing survivors of U.S. torture policies before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the International Criminal Court.
Stay informed
Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy policy.
The latest in National Security
ACLU's Vision
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.
Learn More About National Security
The ACLU’s National Security Project is dedicated to ensuring that U.S. national security policies and practices are consistent with the Constitution, civil liberties, and human rights.