Torture Accountability

The highest officials in our government have trampled on our traditional ideals of making America a nation of laws, not of men, by illegally narrowing the scope of torture and authorizing waterboarding, walling and other inhumane interrogation techniques. In doing so, they violated the Anti-Torture Act, the War Crimes Act, the Geneva Conventions, the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment. 

In order to enforce our laws and restore the free society that our forefathers envisioned, citizens must demand accountability for abuses of the laws pertaining to torture. In the tradition of the Civil Rights movement, change will not occur unless citizens stand up for their rights under the law.

The following organizations have formed a coalition demanding accountability for torture :

Action Center for Justice
After Downing Street
Alliance for Justice
Amnesty International
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Bryn Mawr Peace Coalition
BuzzFlash
Coalition for Peace Action
Code Pink
Consumers for Peace 
Democrats.com
Eldoradans Against Torture
Food Not Bombs
Global Exchange
High Road for Human Rights
Hip Hop Caucus
Historians Against the War
IndictBushNow
Individuals for Justice
Marcus Raskin
National Accountability Network
National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance
NJ Peace Action
NJ People's Organization for Progress
No2Torture
Northern Virginians for Peace and Justice
Polygraph Radio
Peace Action
Peace and Justice Forums, Billings, MT 
Portland Peaceful Response Coalition
Progressive Democrats of America
Project Vote Count
School of the Americas Watch
Senior Action Network
The Smoking Argus Daily
The Torture Abolition Survivors Support Coalition
US Labor Against War
Velvet Revolution
Veterans for Common Sense
Veterans for Peace 
War Criminals Watch
Washington Peace Center 
We Are Change LA 
Witness Against Torture
World Can't Wait

We need to get this aired in as many major media areas as possible, we ask if you can spare $5,$10, or even more, it will help us to get these ads in front of enough viewers, prompting them to make the call to Holder, and ask for him to appoint a special prosecutor. Or if you wish to mail a check to :

Torture Accountability Ad Campaign                                                                  c/o Cynthia Papermaster                                                                                       1907 McGee Ave.                                                                                           Berkeley, CA 94703

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
                                          
NEW YORK, NY August 5, 2009 – A national television ad campaign — to push for Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor — rolls out this week with 30-second commercials, to be aired during The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and The Rachel Maddow Show.

Launched in San Francisco, the TV ads will then be aired in other major media markets, such as New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, and Los Angeles, among others.

“Mr. Holder swore to support and defend our Constitution. It’s time for him to live up to that oath. Torture is morally repugnant. It’s un-American. It’s illegal,” says NYC singer-songwriter and political activist David Ippolito, the ad campaign’s spokesperson, who wrote “Resolution (The Torture Song).”
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A majority of Americans want a federal investigation into the treatment of detainees by government personnel, according to a Gallup and ABC News/Washington Post poll, conducted in April.

“Violations of U.S. and international law have taken place. The evidence is in clear public view,” says Cynthia Papermaster, Director of the National Accountability Network (http://accountability4torture.com/ ), an umbrella coalition of political, human, and civil rights organizations. “These ads are aimed at inspiring Americans to participate in correcting this illegal and shameful situation by phoning and emailing the Attorney General.”

“It's a very simple and necessary way to preserve our democracy from tyranny,” she continues, “and to have the resolution our country needs to go forward without the terrible shame of what has been done in our name."

The TV ads can also be watched online at:  http://thatguitarman.com
   
David Ippolito is available for TV, radio, print, and online interviews.

MEDIA CONTACTS:                        
Laura Manske                        
press@thatguitarman.com
917-363-9927   

You can take immediate action to end torture by holding those responsible accountable:

1. Join the site to stay informed of future events.

2. Contact us to volunteer to help with future events, either in D.C. or in your area.

3. File your own complaint against torture lawyer William Haynes with the California State Bar.

4. Donate to support the cause: