Thursday, November 12, 2009

Contacts:  Rev. Richard Killmer, NRCAT, 202-547-1920 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
              Alanna Sobel, 202-789-7751 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Faith Leaders Nationwide Call on Congress to Close Guantanamo Now

More than 40 religious leaders send a letter to Congress calling for immediate action

WASHINGTON, DC – More than 40 senior leaders of major faith groups in the United States  have joined together to sign a letter addressed to the leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, with copies to Members of Congress, calling on Congress to do everything in its power to close Guantanamo now. In this letter, the text of which is included at the bottom of this release, the religious leaders express their belief that closing Guantanamo Bay is necessary for the nation to continue healing the wounds left by this sad chapter of its history. The letter states:

"Guantanamo is the symbol of our country's violation of our deepest values.  Regardless of how it is operated now compared to how it was operated in earlier years, it stands, in the minds of hundreds of millions of people in our nation and around the globe, as a place where America broke faith with itself and used torture as an interrogation technique.  Torture is immoral, illegal, and never justifiable -- without exception."

The letter was drafted by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), an interfaith organization of more than 260 religious groups that are committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture. NRCAT includes representatives from the Catholic, evangelical Christian, mainline Protestant, Unitarian Universalist, Quaker, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Baha’i, Buddhist, and Sikh communities.

"We in the religious community believe that closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay is a necessary step in the campaign to end U.S.-sponsored torture forever," said Rev. Richard L. Killmer, Executive Director of NRCAT. "Closing the detention center quickly can help restore the U.S. as a respected member of the global community."

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is a growing membership organization committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Since its formation in January 2006, more than 260 religious groups have joined NRCAT, including representatives from the Roman Catholic, evangelical Christian, mainline Protestant, Unitarian Universalist, Quaker, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Baha’i, Buddhist, and Sikh communities. Members include national denominations and faith groups, regional organizations and local congregations.

Click here to read the text of the letter calling for Congress to do everything in its power to close Guantanamo now.