Over 300 people from three U.S. anti-torture organizations called on Wednesday the government to issue the executive order to incorporate international conventions on prisoners of war and torture into the country's policies.
The petitors, including former administrative and military officials as well as other prominent Americans, are from the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Evangelicals for Human Rights and The Center for Victims of Torture.
They urged President George W. Bush administration to issue the executive order to explicitly forbid torture by American interrogators.
Among them, there are two state secretaries under Bill Clinton's administration, Madeleine K. Albright and Warren Christopher, and former State Secretary for President Ronald Reagan, George Shultz.
The Bush administration was widely-criticized for allegedly allowing military and intelligence officers to use harsh interrogation tactics on terrorist suspects in Afghanistan, Iraq and the U.S. navy base in Guantanamo, Cuba, after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which was denied by the White House.
In response to the petition, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the administration has provided protections for prisoners by enacting two laws and an executive order.
She also noted that the country is facing "very different enemy today" than ever before, who respects "no borders, no uniforms and no regard for civilians."
Source:Xinhua
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