Monday, October 16, 2006

Former CIA Inspector General, Leading Trial Lawyer and Torture Physician Discuss New Law on Torture Under the Military Commissions Act of 2006

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- President Bush will sign the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA) on Tuesday. The administration claims that this law provides clear authorization for the CIA to conduct so-called "enhanced" interrogations. Credible media reports say these include waterboarding, extreme cold and sleep deprivation and prolonged stress positions. However, Republicans in both Houses said these techniques are "clearly prohibited" by the new law.

Please join nationally recognized experts for a telephone conference discussion of whether the new law authorizes or criminalizes brutal interrogations by calling: 1-800-210-9006, Passcode: 7848100 # on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 12-noon EDT (9 a.m. PDT).

Speakers will include:
Fred Hitz, former CIA Inspector General and veteran CIA operations officer. Mr. Hitz, a 20-year career veteran of the CIA attended Harvard Law School and teaches at Univ. of Virginia Law School.

Neal Sonnett, one of the nation's leading criminal trial lawyers and former prosecutor. Sonnet served as the chief of the criminal division of the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida, and a criminal defense lawyer, serving as President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has 38 years of experience prosecuting and defending criminal cases and was appointed the official ABA observer for the Military Commission trials at Guantanamo.

Dr. Allen Keller, Director of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture. Dr. Keller is an award winning physician who has treated torture survivors for over a decade. He is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at NYU School of Medicine.

Moderated by:
Elisa Massimino, Washington Director of Human Rights First. Ms. Massimino is an attorney and has worked extensively with retired military officers opposed to the use of torture and other cruel interrogation techniques.

WHO: Elisa Massimino, Fred Hitz, Neal Sonnett and Dr. Allen Keller
WHAT: Press call on the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA) which
is being signed by President Bush on Tuesday.
WHEN: Tuesday, October 17, 2006, 12-noon EDT (9 a.m. PDT).
CALL IN: Call-in number: 1-800-210-9006, Passcode: 7848100 #

Source: Open Society Policy Center

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