Photo © Bud Schultz

Maher Arar suffered torture as a result of the U.S. extraordinary rendition program. An apology is long overdue.

Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen, was traveling home to Canada from visiting relatives in Tunisia in 2002. While changing planes at New York City's JFK airport, he was detained by U.S. authorities and then transferred secretly to Syria, where he was held for a year and tortured.

"It was so painful," Maher Arar said of the beatings he endured, "that I forgot every enjoyable moment in my life."

Released without charge and allowed to return home to Canada, Maher Arar received an apology and compensation from the Canadian government for its role in his treatment. But the U.S. government has failed to apologize or offer Maher Arar any form of remedy - despite its obligation to do so under the UN Convention Against Torture and other human rights treaties. (Read more details about Arar’s case.)

NRCAT is joining with Amnesty International and other organizations in calling upon President Obama and Congress to issue a formal apology to Maher Arar and to ensure that the treatment he suffered will never again be inflicted on anyone else.

Torture is immoral and illegal.

Urge President Obama and Congress to apologize to Maher Arar and fulfill his right to remedy.

It's the right thing to do.

A NRCAT DVD addressing the need for accountability.

NRCAT will join Amnesty and other organizations in submitting all the names of people who have endorsed this call for an apology to the White House on May 21, 2012.

What you can do to help:

• Endorse the online statement.
• Use this “Tell-a-Friend” tool to encourage others to join you.
• Use this petition format [PDF] to gather signatures from members of your congregation and community.
• Organize a screening and discussion of NRCAT’s DVD “Repairing the Brokenness”, which features religious perspectives on the need for accountability for the use of torture.