WASHINGTON, DC- Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, a vocal opponent of the practice of ‘extraordinary rendition’ – outsourcing U.S. prisoners to foreign governments -- and the author of the “Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act,” responded today to the testimony of Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen and former resident of Framingham, MA, before a panel of the European Parliament.  Arar was deported in September of 2002 by U.S. authorities to Syria, where he was reportedly tortured for 10 months. The Markey legislation was initially prompted by the Arar case.

“Today’s powerful testimony from Mr. Arar only underscores the moral repugnance of the practice of sending prisoners to countries known to torture prisoners,” said Rep. Markey. “It is shameful that the U.S has been sending people to countries like Syria, which has one of the world’s worst torture records.”

“The Republican-controlled Congress has effectively ‘disappeared’ when it comes to oversight over the Bush Administration’s rendition practices,” said Rep. Markey.  “The testimony of Mr. Arar reveals that U.S. rendition practices need to be reformed.  Yet less than two months ago, the House International Relations Committee voted against my resolution calling for the release of documents about the circumstances surrounding the detention, rendition and torture of Mr. Arar and others like him.  It is unacceptable that foreign governments are doing the oversight and investigation that this Republican Congress has refused to do.”

Today, Maher Arar spoke extensively with an investigative committee of the European Parliament (EP), detailing the story of his kidnapping from New York and his transfer through Rome and Jordan to Syria, where he was tortured for 10 months.  EP committee members will travel to the United States in May to investigate this case and question U.S. officials about the practice of extraordinary rendition.

Rep. Markey introduced the Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act (H.R. 952) in February 2005 – the bill prohibits sending detainees to countries where they will likely be tortured.  The Markey bill currently has 67 cosponsors and is backed by Amnesty International, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

For more information on Rep. Markey’s letter to the Department of State on Mahar Arar check out: http://markey.house.gov/

Letter to Sec. of State Condoleeza Rice (1/27/2005) Copy of Letter to Sec. of State Condoleeza Rice (1/27/2005) (160.87 KB)
Copy of Response from Sec. Rice (2/11/05) Copy of Response from the State Department (2/11/05) (46.95 KB)
Copy of the Outsourcing Torture Prevention Act Copy of the Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act (51.30 KB)
Copy of Letter to International Relations Committee Copy of Letter to International Relations Committee (643.06 KB)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2006

 

CONTACT: Tara McGuiness
202.225.2836