The report follows two days of hearings before the Committee in Geneva, Switzerland on May 5 and 8, 2006.

The Committee, comprised of 10 internationally recognized experts, not only called for the closing of detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, but expressed concern with the impunity law enforcement officials enjoy in the US, highlighting allegations of torture at Chicago's Area 2 and 3 Police Headquarters. The Committee explicitly noted the lack of criminal prosecutions of the perpetrators in the Burge torture cases, and called on the US Government to report back on the ongoing investigation and prosecution in the cases.

"It's clear from their report that the UN Committee sees the torture by law enforcement personnel in the US as on the same level as the torture in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo," said Andrea Ritchie, a civil rights attorney. "It's not just Guantanamo that needs to be shut down, it's torture wherever it takes place."

The Burge torture cases, include 192 African Americans tortured over a twenty year period by former Commander Jon Burge and detectives under his command at the Chicago Police Department. Torture techniques used by the police officers included electrically shocking genitals with cattle prods and electric shock boxes, suffocations with plastic bags, and beatings about the body with telephone books and rubber hoses.

A Chicago judge is expected to rule today on whether the results of an investigation by a court-appointed special prosecutor into the Burge cases will be released over the objections of the officers involved.

"Despite mountains of evidence that Burge and his officers systematically tortured African Americans at police headquarters, and a four year investigation costing $7.3 million, we're still waiting on criminal indictments for the torturers and the officials who covered it up," said Joey Mogul of the People's Law Office in Chicago, who represents several victims of torture at the hands of Burge and his detectives. "We had no choice but to take our case to the UN so that these officers can be held fully accountable for their criminal acts of torture."

The U.S. ratified the Convention Against Torture in 1994. The report issued today concludes the Committee's second periodic review of US compliance with the Convention.

For more information, please contact: Joey Mogul 773-235-0070, joeymogul (at) aol.com or Andrea Ritchie, andreajritchie (at) aol.com

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Partial text of the report:

Distr.
GENERAL

CAT/C/USA/CO/2
18 May 2006

Original: ENGLISH
ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION
COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE
36th session
1 – 19 May 2006

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES
UNDER ARTICLE 19 OF THE CONVENTION
Conclusions and recommendations of the Committee against Torture

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

1. The Committee against Torture ("the Committee") considered the second report of the United States of America (CAT/C/48/Add.3/Rev.1) at its 702nd and 705th meetings (CAT/C/SR.702 and 705), held on 5 and 8 May 2006, and adopted, at its 720th and 721st meetings, on 17 and 18 May 2006 (CAT/C/SR.720 and 721) the following conclusions and recommendations.

C. Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

25. The Committee is concerned with allegations of impunity of some of the State party's law enforcement personnel in respect of acts of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The Committee notes the limited investigation and lack of prosecution in respect of the allegations of torture perpetrated in areas 2 and 3 of the Chicago Police Department. (article 12)

The State party should promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate all allegations of acts of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by law enforcement personnel and bring perpetrators to justice, in order to fulfill its obligations under article 12 of the Convention. The State party should also provide the Committee with information on the ongoing investigations and prosecution relating to the above mentioned case.

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