NRCAT Press Releases

For Immediate Release:
Monday, June 7, 2010

In light of today’s release of Physicians for Human Rights’ new report, Experiments in Torture: Human Subject Research and Evidence in the ‘Enhanced’ Interrogation Program, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture has responded with the following statement and announced the release of a new video "Accounting for Torture" (www.nrcat.org/act) that describes the PHR report:

"As religious leaders we commend Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) for their groundbreaking work uncovering and documenting evidence of the involvement of CIA health professionals in performing experiments, without consent, on detainees in the custody of the U.S. following September 2001.

National Religious Community Reacts to Thiessen's Thoughts on Torture

Washington, DC - Rev. Richard L. Killmer, the Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, an interfaith coalition representing more than 280 U.S. religious bodies, released the following statement today in response to recent claims by Marc Thiessen, former chief speechwriter to President George W. Bush who is now on the staff of the Washington Post, that Catholic teachings justify the use of torture:

"We are saddened that a public figure like Marc Thiessen has used the teachings of the Catholic faith to justify the use of torture.

A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY IS ESSENTIAL IN LIGHT OF THE OPR REPORT AND VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE WHITE HOUSE IN TORTURE

WASHINGTON, DC - In response to the recently released report from the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) on the conduct of lawyers at the Office of Legal Counsel between 2001 and 2008, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, issued the following statement:

"The recently released report from the Office of Professional Responsibility shows that the White House under President Bush encouraged lawyers in the Justice Department to write memos misinterpreting the law in order to sanction the use of torture.

Washington, DC – Rev. Richard Killmer, the Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, an interfaith coalition representing over 270 U.S. religious bodies, released this statement today in response to the election of Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts:

“Senator-elect Scott Brown has, on multiple occasions, declared his support for the use by the United States of waterboarding and other ‘enhanced’ interrogation techniques that are no longer allowed by President Obama's Executive Order of January 22, 2009.  We urge Mr. Brown to learn more about U.S.-sponsored torture including the fact that it is illegal and immoral because of the harm it does to individuals and communities.

WASHINGTON, DC – In light of the Christmas Day bomber incident, Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture has released the following statement:

“These are challenging times.  Our country faces very real security threats.  As we respond to these threats it is important to remember that torture is always wrong – our faiths, our history, and our traditions teach us that. 

For Immediate Release:
Friday, December 11, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the delayed release of the report from the Office of Professional Responsibility on the conduct of lawyers at the Office of Legal Counsel between 2001 and 2008, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture has sent a letter, the text of which is included at the bottom of this release, to Attorney General Holder urging him to immediately make the report public. The letter states:

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:

For Immediate Release:
September 25, 2009

Contact: Alanna Sobel, 352.281.0894, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it      

(Washington)  The Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, issued the following statement regarding Senate Republicans' decision to end their participation in a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee investigation into the use of torture:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2009

CONTACT:  Christin Roach, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 202-822-5200
                   or Rev. Richard Killmer, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 207-450-7242                         

National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT)
Commends the Attorney General for Appointing a Prosecutor
with a Limited Mandate, but Says It Is Not Enough

(Washington, DC)  In response to the Attorney General’s appointment of federal prosecutor John Durham to make a recommendation about opening a full criminal investigation of CIA interrogators and contractors who may have violated U.S. anti-torture laws in connection with fewer than a dozen cases of prisoner abuse, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, the Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, issued the following statement:

“The National Religious Campaign Against Torture is grateful that the Attorney General has begun to consider an investigation for criminal culpability of CIA agents who may have violated anti-torture laws. But it is not enough. NRCAT calls upon the Attorney General to undertake a comprehensive investigation of the authorization and use of torture by officials and agents of the United States Government to determine criminal culpability.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2009

CONTACT: Christin Roach, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 202-822-5200
                  or Rev. Richard Killmer, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 207-450-7242                         

National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT)
Says Shocking CIA Inspector General Report Demonstrates
Need for a Commission of Inquiry

(Washington, DC)  In response to the release today of the CIA Inspector General report that describes the abuse of detainees, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, the Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, issued the following statement:

“The Inspector General’s report describes the horrific and illegal abuse of detainees in U.S. custody.  The report goes beyond what has previously been released to describe CIA agents threatening prisoners with death and carrying out a mock execution.  It also describes the use of waterboarding and other methods of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.