For Immediate Release: May 17, 2012
Contact: Samantha Friedman, office: (202) 265-3000 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

People of faith say no to indefinite detention and ask Congress to do the same

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Adam Smith and Justin Amash have offered an amendment to the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act that would explicitly ban the indefinite military detention without trial of people captured in the United States.  Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, released this statement supporting the amendment and expressing dismay that such an amendment is necessary and hope that the amendment will be adopted by a broad bipartisan coalition of Representatives:

“The right to a trial is a basic American value, one that is held by Americans of all political and religious persuasions.  Unfortunately, the FY 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (passed last year) contains language that some people have interpreted as allowing for indefinite detention without trial of people captured in the United States.  The law includes this dangerous ambiguity, and Congress should act to clear it up by making it clear that everyone in the U.S. is guaranteed the right to a trial.  The bipartisan Smith-Amash amendment does just that.

Representing people of faith, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture holds that justice requires that all people be provided a fair trial.  As a coalition of religious organizations that seek to end torture, we are also concerned about the psychological harm that is caused to those who are detained for an indefinite period of time without ever having been tried for or convicted of a crime.  It is our hope that Members of Congress from both political parties will share these concerns and understand the importance of ensuring that people in our country cannot be captured and held indefinitely, without trial, based merely on suspicion.  Voting for the Smith-Amash amendment is the right thing to do."