Amnesty International
EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION

Dear President Bush:

WE, the undersigned, are concerned by the practice of "extraordinary renditions" in which the United States is transferring individuals for detention and interrogation to countries with a substantial record of using torture.  US legal obligations under federal law and international treaties prohibit the transfer of any person to any country where they are likely to face torture.  Nonetheless, the US Government is reported to have sent or been complicit in sending individuals to countries like Egypt, Jordan and Afghanistan, counties that the State Department has criticized for practicing torture.

You have defended the practice of "extraordinary renditions" by stating that the US receives "assurances" that detainees will not be subjected to torture or inhumane treatment.  Yet, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and US government officials have conceded to the fact that they cannot monitor or ultimately control the actions of other countries with histories of practicing torture, placing the human rights of detainees at serious risk. 

Congressman Edward Markey (MA) sponsored the Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act (H.R. 952) in the House of Representatives and Senator Patrick Leahy (VT) sponsored the "Convention Against Torture Implementation Act" (S. 654) in the Senate. Both would require annual reporting of countries that engage in torture and prohibit the transfer or return of a detainee to a country that has a history of torture.  This is an important step in affirming the US commitments under both international and federal law to prevent torture, and helps restore US credibility.

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Send to:  President G. W. Bush, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC 20500, USA
 The Honorable Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street, N.W., Washington DC 20520, USA
Senator John Warner, Chair Armed Service Comm, 225 Russell Office Building, Washington DC  20510-2202
Senator Carl Levin, Ranking Member of Armed Service Comm, 269 Russell Office Building, Washington DC 20510-2202