Sample Letters to Congressmen 

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The allegations made against U.S. soldiers and contractors guarding prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq are allegations of torture. The words "abuse" and "mistreatment," while widely used, are not sufficient.

The U.S. and its allies must do everything possible to prosecute those responsible - directly and indirectly - and to ensure that this does not happen again. We must be absolutely sure that the problem is not systemic. We must be sure that these same horrific acts are not also being committed elsewhere in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Guantanamo or anywhere else.

President Bush told the world, "People in Iraq must know that I view those practices as abhorrent. They must also understand that what took place in that prison does not represent the America that I know."

The Center for Victims of Torture calls upon Congress and President Bush to take action to ensure that this is not a systemic problem and to reassure his own constituents, the people of Iraq and people around the world that the U.S. government does not condone torture and unequivocally denounces its practice. The Army’s investigation is a good start, but to have credibility in Iraq and around the world we must have an independent, outside investigation of U.S. interrogation practices. President Bush should invite the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to conduct a full and independent investigation.

He must also make it possible for Congress to conduct a full investigation into these incidents, including what factors allowed torture to take place, how common an occurrence it is and what the ramifications for U.S. policy are.

Take Action Now!

Write your members of Congress, President Bush, and Donald Rumsfeld and speak out in your community.

Ask them:

1. To denounce torture.
2. To call the abuse that is alleged to have happened in Abu Ghraib what it is: torture.
3. To call for a full, independent congressional investigation.
4. To call for a full, independent investigation by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

The best way to get through is to send a fax or make a phone call because of the number of emails the congresmen receive. If you can't send a fax just contact your senators and representatives by email.

Contact President George W. Bush
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov
Fax: 202 456 2461
Tel.: 202 456 1111 and 202 456 6213
Mail:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Contact Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
E-mail: dpcintrn@osd.pentagon.mil or public@defenselink.mil
Fax: 703 697 9080
Tel.: 703 695 5261
Mail:
The Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155

Representative Tom Osborne (R) ,District 3
Washington, DC Office:
The Honorable Tom Osborne
507 Cannon HOB
Washingto, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-6435
Fax: 202-226-1385
Email: http://www.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep

Representative Lee Terry (R) , District 2
Washington, DC Office
1524 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-4155 phone
(202) 226-5452 fax
Email: http://leeterry.house.gov/contact.asp

Senator Hagel (R)
Washington, D.C. Office
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington,DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-4224
Fax: (202) 224-5213
Email: http://hagel.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact

Senator Nelson (D)
Washington, D.C. Office
720 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-6551
Fax: (202) 228-0012
Email: http://bennelson.senate.gov/email.html

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