ResourcesPress Release

Crucial Senate Hearing on Indefinite Detention Includes PHR Testimony

For Immediate Release

PHR announced today that Senator Dianne Feinstein submitted PHR testimony [pdf] at a crucial Senate hearing on indefinite detention. Today’sSenate Judiciary Committee hearing was focused on Senator Feinstein’s recentbill, “The Due Process Guarantee Act,” which is an attempt to counteract theauthorization of indefinite detention which was legislated by the US Congressand signed into law by the President on December 31, 2011.  

Authored by PHR’s Medical Advisor,Dr. Scott Allen, the testimony is based on important findings from the groundbreakingreport, Punishment Before Justice: Indefinite Detention in the US,” which showed that the uncertainty, unpredictability, anduncontrollability of indefinite detention causes severe harms in healthyindividuals. In the report, PHR calls on the United States to abolish allpolicies mandating or permitting indefinite detention.

“PHR’sreport makes a clear case for ending the damaging practice of indefinitedetention,” said Hans Hogrefe, Chief Policy Officer at PHR. “We are honoredthat critical findings from our report documenting the harmful psychologicaland physical effects of indefinite detention have been included in thisimportant hearing, which we hope will be the beginning of necessary changes tothis policy.”

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here.

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