AMERICANTORTURESTORY INVESTIGATE THIS # www.amnestyusa.org/AmericanTortureStory #AmericanTortureStory #ReadTheReport DEAR ACTIVISTS, The American Torture Story must never be repeated. More than a hundred men were “disappeared” by the U.S. government and held in secret sites throughout world from 2002 to 2008. Many were tortured, humiliated and abused. We are asking you to act: • in memory of Gul Rahman, who was stripped naked, wrapped in tape, immersed in cold water and shackled. He froze to death in custody. • for Majid Khan, who was subjected to rectal feeding during a three and a half year enforced disappearance. • And the more than 100 men who were “disappeared” into the CIA’s secret detention program. Many were tortured. To this day, no one has ever been brought to justice for these crimes. In fact, former Vice President Dick Cheney said, “I’d do it again in a minute.” The Justice Department is refusing to even read this report, let alone investigate the grave human rights violations within it. Join us this summer to demand action of Attorney General Loretta Lynch. INVESTIGATE THIS #AmericanTortureStory Together, we can help end this American Torture Story. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN 4 JUNE 26 DEMONSTRATIONS & ACTIONS 5-8 JUNE 26 CALL-IN DAY 9 SOCIAL MEDIA & RESOURCES 10 SAMPLE LETTER TO ATTORNEY GENERAL 11 INVESTIGATE THIS STORIES FROM THE SENATE REPORT 12-13 #AmericanTortureStory QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 14-16 3 WRITE LETTERS TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TODAY The Justice Department isn’t even reading the full Senate Torture Report, despite the fact that it is their duty to investigate, and to hold perpetrators of abuses accountable. All the public has right now is a declassified summary, but the Justice Department has the full 6,900 page report. If they won’t read it, YOU can send it to them. It’ll take no more than a few minutes of your time. Here’s how you can do it, on your own or with your group at your next meeting or by hosting a letter-writing event: 1) Print and sign the sample letter in the resources section to the Attorney General, or write your own 2) Print a random page of the torture report 3) Put both printed pages in an envelope 4) Send it to: INVESTIGATE THIS US Department of Justice #AmericanTortureStory 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 4 DAY OF ACTION: JUNE 26 Demand the Justice Department: Investigate This #AmericanTortureStory There is nothing more powerful than direct action. We’re calling upon all human rights activists to participate in actions on June 26, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Whether that’s taking part in one of several demonstrations or calling the Attorney General we’re here to support you and have designed several different options to inspire you. Find your US attorney’s office here: http://www.justice.gov/usao/find-your-united-states-attorney Turn to the Resources section for longer excerpts from the report that you can use during your action General rules of thumb: 1) Generate interest in your action with a Facebook event 2) Create conversation around your action by sharing tweets using the #AmericanTortureStory 3) Always have a photographer present, even if it’s with a phone camera 4) Always have a designated individual engaging with the public 5) Have education materials ready: the handout included in the action toolkit, the petition and a sign-up sheet. INVESTIGATE THIS 6) It’s okay to have a small, but effective actions—quality is what matters. #AmericanTortureStory 7) Be creative 5 DAY OF ACTION: JUNE 26 ACTIONS PLANNED BY AIUSA & COALITION PARTNERS BOSTON, MA June 26, 2015, 10:00 am - 3 pm Location: Dewey Square, Boston Contact: Cynthia Gabriel, [email protected] CHICAGO,IL June 26th 12:00 p.m. Location: Federal Plaza - 230 S. Dearborn Contact Person: Ernest Coverson, [email protected] NEW YORK, NY Actions in multiple locations on June 26: 12 pm – 271 Cadman Plaza [US Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn] 2 pm - 1 St Andrew’s Plaza [US Attorney’s Office, Manhattan] 3 pm – 86 Chambers Street [US Attorney’s Office, Manhattan] 4pm – Times Square [43rd Street & 7th Avenue] Contact: Kalaya’an Mendoza, [email protected] SAN FRANCISCO, CA March and Rally: June 26th,11:00am-1:30pm Location: Begins at San Francisco City Hall, Civic Center Plaza, 1 Dr. Carlon Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102. March to Phillip Burton Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102. Contact: [email protected] INVESTIGATE THIS #AmericanTortureStory WASHINGTON, D.C. Rally: Friday, June 26th, 4-5 pm Location: 950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Department of Justice, Washington, DC Contact: Noor Mir, [email protected] Additional Events TBD 6 DAY OF ACTION: JUNE 26 DESIGN AND HOLD YOUR OWN EVENT LEVEL 1: 1-2 PEOPLE & 1 WEEK OR LESS TO PLAN 1) Have a dramatic reading of an excerpt of the Torture Report in a public space, either somewhere with high traffic or by another target location. Be sure to either hand out materials after you’re done reading or have a friend help. 2) Write out short lines from the torture report in chalk in a public space with the #AmericanTortureStory. Remember to take pictures and tweet them out. 3) Educate the public by tabling on your campus or community. You can even have a photo action with a poster that reads “Read the Report” or “Stop Torture Now” and tweeting photos of participants @TheJusticeDept with the #AmericanTortureStory LEVEL 2: 2-5+ PEOPLE & 1 WEEK TO PLAN 1) Stop Torture Public Awareness Action: Activists create #StopTorture signs in the style of American STOP signs and position themselves in busy pedestrian location. One activist holds the sign and a partner passes out the petition, copies of the letter, and any other materials. 2) American Torture Story Exhibit: You Can’t Hide The Truth. Activists occupy a public location near your U.S Attorney’s office or in an area with high traffic, set up 1-3 chairs about 10 feet apart and one activist sits in each chair donning a black hood (you can easily use plain black INVESTIGATE THIS cloth or a black t-shirt for this). In front of them will be a poster that has the name of a torture #AmericanTortureStory survivor or victim from the Torture Report along with an excerpt of their experience. This will be a completely silent action. The activists who are not seated will be passing out the petition, the sample letters, and engaging passerby. 7 DAY OF ACTION: JUNE 26 LEVEL 3: 5+ PEOPLE & 2-3 WEEKS TO PLAN 1) Senate Report Delivery: Find the closest target location to you (see Local U.S. Attorneys list). Choose several pages of the Senate Torture Report and either have it printed or transcribed onto several sheets of 18x22 posterboard. Choose a weekday delivery date, preferably in the middle of the week. In either Amnesty t-shirts or business casual, attempt to "deliver" the Senate Torture report to the State Attorney General. Make sure to have a photographer and videographer taking pictures. You will most likely be stopped by security and asked to leave. Comply with all security instructions and continue the action in a silent protest outside the building. 2) Torture Report Projection: Borrow a projector (minimum 2500k Lumen Projector) and project pages of the Torture Report onto a bed sheet or building surface near a target location. Make INVESTIGATE THIS sure to have materials, sample letters, petitions, and ways people can take further action. This #AmericanTortureStory action works best in the evening. Since it’s after office hours, this tactic may be best used in a public location to raise awareness about the situation. 8 CALL-IN DAY: JUNE 26 On June 26, pick up the phone and call the Justice Department, demanding that they investigate this #AmericanTortureStory. Department Comment Line - 202-353-1555 Sample script: Hello, my name is [insert name here] and I am calling from [insert location here]. I am a member of Amnesty International. I am calling to express my concerns about the Justice Department’s disregard of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on the CIA’s secret detention program, known as the “Torture Report.” The Attorney General should order a review of the Senate Torture Report and potential violations of federal and international laws immediately. INVESTIGATE THIS The Department must make sure that it brings to justice in fair trials all persons suspected #AmericanTortureStory of being involved in the commission of crimes under international law, such as torture and enforced disappearance. 9 RESOURCES SAMPLE TWEETS .@TheJusticeDept investigate this #AmericanTortureStory .@TheJusticeDept, @amnesty activists from [insert location here] just sent you a letter. Will you investigate #AmericanTortureStory The America I believe in doesn’t torture. @TheJusticeDept, ensure this #AmericanTortureStory doesn’t happen again. HASHTAGS AND HANDLES SLOGANS & SIGNS FIND YOUR U.S. ATTORNEY - Investigate this #AmericanTortureStory INVESTIGATE THIS @TheJusticeDept - Attorney General Lynch: Investigate #AmericanTortureStory @amnesty Torture #AmericanTortureStory http://www.justice.gov/usao/ #AmericanTortureStory - No Torture In My Name find-your-united-states- #AmericanTortureStory attorney - Don’t Let Them Get Away With Torture 10 SAMPLE LETTER US Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 Re: Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Review of CIA Detention Program Dear Attorney General Lynch, I am writing to urge you to order a review of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on the CIA’s secret detention program (“Senate torture report”) and potential violations of federal and international laws, as one of your first acts as the new attorney general. The America I believe in does not torture.