• Press Release

Justice Department Should Investigate in Wake of American Psychological Association Report

July 11, 2015

A report produced at the request of the board of the American Psychological Association (APA) raises serious questions about the role of psychologists, including officials at the APA, in assisting torture programs run by the Department of Defense and CIA. In response, Naureen Shah, director of Amnesty International USA’s Security and Human Rights Program, issued the following statement:

“The allegations in the report are deeply troubling. One psychologist, APA ethics director Stephen Behnke, reportedly worked to keep the group’s ethics policies in line with the Defense Department’s interrogation policies. There is nothing ethical about torture.

“The Justice Department needs to review this report for evidence of criminal wrongdoing. All those who planned, conspired in, committed and authorized torture must be held accountable.

“The report is a powerful reminder that the Justice Department has never brought criminal charges against anyone for torture that was systematic, calculated and unlawful from the beginning.

“Survivors and the millions of people in whose named this torture was perpetrated deserve justice, accountability and assurance that this American torture story will never be repeated.”