Media Contact: Mandy Simon, [email protected]
(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—Today, the Obama administration announced that it will soon disclose its assessment of the number of individuals killed by U.S. strikes since 2009. In response, Naureen Shah, Director of Amnesty International USA’s Security and Human Rights Program, issued the following statement:
“For years, Amnesty International has called on the Obama administration to end the blanket secrecy surrounding who it is killing in drone strikes. Today’s announcement is a welcome and crucial step, but the upcoming disclosure must include information on the U.S. government’s definitions and legal standards for these strikes. Only then will policymakers, the human rights community and the general public have the information necessary to assess the administration's numbers and the drone program’s impact.”