After September 11, 2001, U.S. officials authorized the cruel treatment and torture of prisoners held in Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo, and the CIA's secret prisons overseas.

This database documents the U.S. government's official experiment with torture. At present, the database contains well over 100,000 pages of government documents obtained primarily through Freedom of Information Act litigation and requests filed by the ACLU, and through litigation of Salim v. Mitchell, a lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of the survivors and the family of a dead victim of the CIA torture program. To learn more about the database, please read the About and Search Help pages. If you're a developer, you can also access this data through our API.

Search Result (6015)

A video captured what appears to have been a killing of an injured non-combatant. The events are as follows: A black sedan crashed into a wall, the driver fell out of the driver's door and lay wounded on the ground. The man was seen moving his ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID), Photograph
Physical assault
Investigation into death of detainee after he was interrogated. The cause of death was undetermined but was investigated for murder. A sergeant stated that he struck the detainee with the butt of his weapon while trying to subdue him and the ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID), Photograph, Interview (Statement)
Physical assault, General
Investigation into abuse of detainee identified in Time magazine. Insufficient evidence.
Investigation into assault of detainee after an escape attempt and subsequent homicide. Soldiers conspired to provide false statements to investigators. After subduing detainee with excessive force, soldiers continued to assault him by slamming ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault, Walling, General
Detainee alleged that he was abused while in custody of U.S. forces. The detainee claims he was beaten, sexually assaulted and had his property stolen. Once released, detainee filed a complaint and told his story on Hardball with Chris Matthews. ...
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault, Sexual, General, Nudity, Sexual, Other Humiliation
Detainee alleged that he was abused by US forces during his apprehension and they threatened him with execution. The investigation found that the claim was without merit. Members of the unit that captured the detainee were interviewed and records ...
A detainee alleges that when he was captured he was taken to a palace in Ramadi where he was kicked and electrocuted. The detainee was medically checked during this period and no signs of injury or abuse were indicated.
Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Use of water, Water dousing, Physical assault, Face slap or insult slap, Stomach/abdominal slap, General, Use of electricity

Female detainee alleged she was abused while in US custody. The investigation stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove the offenses of aggravated assault and cruelty and maltreatment. Detainee alleges she was forced to stand ...

Feb. 15, 2006
Investigative File (CID)
Use of water, Water dousing, Physical assault, Walling, General, Sleep deprivation, Nudity, Other Humiliation, Sexual
Detainee alleges being beaten on the head and passing out. Detainee was punched; beaten with rifles; had water thrown on him; and was laid down in front of a tank and told he would be run over. Members of the unit were interviewed and denied the ...
Investigation established probable cause to believe unidentified persons committed the offense of Cruelty and Maltreatment when they flex-cuffed the detainees in positions for long periods of time causing extended amounts of stress on the joints ...