“Torture which uses physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponent or satisfy hatred is contrary to respect for the person and for human dignity” – Catechism of the Catholic Church

Recently declassified Justice Department memos, which provided the legal basis for torture, expose a litany of abusive interrogation tactics that shock the conscience of anyone committed to the universal principles of human rights and the rule of law.

As Catholic social justice leaders, our faith compels us to speak out against these grave violations of human dignity as an intrinsic evil that must never be tolerated. Torture demeans perpetrators and victims. It violates our nation’s highest ideals, endangers our own prisoners of war and often yields unreliable information.

We commend President Obama for signing an executive order closing the Guantanamo military prison, banning torture and releasing these memos. However, we join a growing movement of human rights experts and religious leaders from diverse faith traditions to urge President Obama to call for an independent, nonpartisan commission to investigate the use of torture in fighting terrorism. Only by exposing these horrific practices can our nation take the steps to bring reconciliation and restore America’s moral credibility in the world.

Joshua Casteel,
Former U.S. Army Interrogator
Abu Ghraib Prison, Iraq

Michael Duffy
Director
Joan and Ralph Lance Center for Catholic Studies and Social Thought
University of San Francisco

Russ Testa
Executive Director
Franciscan Action Network

Marie Dennis
Director
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Dave Robinson
Executive Director
Pax Christi USA

Chris Korzen
Executive Director
Catholics United

Marie Lucey, OSF
Associate Director of Social Mission
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Leadership Team
Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

T. Michael McNulty
Justice and Peace Coordinator
Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Simone Campbell, SSS
Executive Director

James E. Hug
President
Center of Concern

Joseph Fahey
Chair
Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice

Patricia A Daly, OP
Executive Director
Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment