Rabbis to join anti-torture day

November 11, 2008

WASHINGTON (JTA)—Rabbis for Human Rights-North America will join a national appeal to President-elect Barack Obama to order an end to torture.

The group will participate in the National Religious Campaign Against Torture’s “Day of Witness” on Wednesday, which will include banner processions and speeches in front of the White House and meetings in the U.S. Congress with lawmakers or their aides.

The appeal calls on Obama to issue an executive order as soon as he assumes the presidency that would universally apply the U.S. Army Field Manual guidelines for interrogation and to end the transfer of detainees to nations that practice torture.

The Bush administration has acknowledged questioning suspects using waterboarding, a technique that simulates drowning that experts define as torture. It has also surrendered suspects to countries with poor human rights records.

“Representing a broad consensus of the Jewish community, in consonance with world opinion and with the teachings of Jewish tradition in every age, we call for a complete repudiation and prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment for any purpose, in any instance,” said a statement from Rabbis for Human Rights-North America.

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vbb

11/12/08 03:12 PM

These guys have too much time on their hands. Start taking care of Jews first.

Lee Ann

11/12/08 05:39 PM

If these rabbis’ children or grandchildren were kidnapped and being held in an unknown location, they’d want the person who knew their whereabouts tortured if it meant finding their loved ones. Never say never torture.

RKT

11/17/08 05:34 PM

Why do you assume in that situation that torture is the answer? What if you have the wrong person? Why would the information received under torture be reliable? People will say anything to end torture--I believe John McCain confessed to being the Green Bay Packers while being tortured in Vietnam. There is a reason the FBI opposed interrogations using torture at Guantanamo, and why the Israeli Army uses other methods of gaining intelligence from suspects. If my child was kidnapped, I’d want the best method used to find her--and that method is not torture. Torture is designed to terrorize people and humiliate them, but it’s remarkably ineffective at getting information.

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