Press Release
January 30, 2008        

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rev. Richard Killmer – (202) 547-1920

National Religious Campaign Against Torture Condemns Testimony of Attorney General

(Washington)  The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), a campaign of over 140 religious organizations working together to abolish U.S.-sponsored torture, condemns Attorney General Mukasey’s position on torture that was presented during his testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee today.

“The Attorney General today essentially said that the definition of torture depends on the information being sought,” said Linda Gustitus, the President of NRCAT.  “The Attorney General’s position on torture is wrong spiritually, morally and legally.  Under our Constitution, U.S. federal law, and international law, torture is a crime regardless of the circumstances.  In fact, under international law there are three acts that are prohibited without exception, and they are slavery, genocide, and torture.  With his testimony the Attorney General has shamed both himself and America.”

At today’s hearing Senator Joe Biden asked the Attorney General if he thought about torture in relative terms, and if he thought it was ok to waterboard someone in certain circumstances.  The Attorney General responded by saying that “there is a statute under which it is a relative issue. I think the Detainee Treatment Act engages the … ‘shocks the conscience’ standard, which is essentially a balancing test of the value of doing something as against the cost of doing it.”

Senator Biden then asked what “cost” meant, and the Attorney General said “I meant the heinousness of doing it, the cruelty of doing it, balanced against the value [of the information you might get].”

“It is equally appalling that the Attorney General still refuses to say that waterboarding is torture,” Gustitus said.  “It makes the appointment of a Special Counsel in the CIA tapes case more important than ever.”