Fw: Abolish Torture Now: Join Faith Leaders in Urging Congress to Act - FCNL

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Volk" <joevolk@fcnl.org>
To: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@optonline.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 4:39 PM
Subject: Abolish Torture Now: Join Faith Leaders in Urging Congress to Act -
FCNL

"What does it say if torture is condemned in word, but allowed in
deed?"
-- Advertisement by 27 religious leaders in The New York Times

Religious leaders from across the faith spectrum today joined Nobel
laureates Jimmy Carter and Elie Wiesel in a call for the U.S.
government to abolish torture -- without exceptions. Concerned by
assertions from the U.S. government that torture and inhumane treatment
could be permitted in some cases, the National Religious Campaign
Against Torture (NRCAT) published this statement in an advertisement in
The New York Times today: "Any policies that permit torture and
inhumane treatment are shocking and morally intolerable."

Among the signatories of this statement are Rev. Ted Haggard, president
of the National Association of Evangelicals, Cardinal Theodore
McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington, Rev. Rick Warren, the author of
the best selling A Purpose Driven Life, Jim Wallis, Executive Director
of Sojourners, and Dr. Sayyid Syeed, National Director of the Islamic
Society of North America. FCNL is a founding member of NRCAT and helped
organize this advertisement. See the advertisement and read a full list
of signatories at http://www.nrcat.org/ad.aspx.

*Take Action Now*

Write your members of Congress today. Urge your senators and
representative to join these faith leaders in calling for Congress to
pass legislation abolishing torture -- without exceptions. You can find
a sample message and contact your legislators directly through FCNL's
online legislative action center:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=8842736&type=CO

Got a little more time? FCNL will be joining with other groups on June
26, United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture,
to call on Congress to clearly state that torture is never acceptable,
anywhere, anytime. Visit www.tortureawareness.org to find out more

*Background*

Torture and inhumane treatment have long been banned by U.S. treaty
obligations and are punishable by U.S. criminal statute. Last year,
Sen. John McCain (AZ) led a successful effort to pass legislation
outlawing torture. But the U.S. government continues to argue that a
little bit of torture may be okay, in some cases. For example, in the
month of June:

--The Pentagon reportedly decided to amend the Army Field Manual so
that in the future U.S. soldiers will not be required to abide by a key
tenet of the Geneva Convention that bans "humiliating and
degrading treatment" of prisoners. Read excerpts from the current
Army Field Manual that the Pentagon is amending at:
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1907&issue_id=70

--The Pentagon directed military doctors to violate codes established
by the American Medical Association and participate in the forced
feeding of detainees on hunger strike. According to press reports,
under the new guidelines doctors and psychiatrists may observe
interrogations and advise interrogators but are barred from direct
participation. Read the Physicians for Human Rights statement against
the Pentagon policy at:
http://www.phrusa.org/research/torture/news_2006-06-06.html.

--Investigators from the Council of Europe, a human rights body
established by European governments, confirmed reports in the
Washington Post that 14 European nations colluded with U.S.
intelligence to abduct prisoners and transport them to secret detention
facilities in Europe where they would be beyond the protection of any
laws. Read the report at:
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1893&issue_id=70

For more information see FCNL's web site:
http://www.fcnl.org/civil_liberties/torture/index.htm

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We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
We seek a society with equity and justice for all
We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
We seek an earth restored.

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