U.S. Must Release More Abu Ghraib Photos: Federal Judge
March 21st, 2015Via: Reuters:
A federal judge ruled on Friday that the U.S. government must release photographs showing the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and other sites.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan ruled that his order would not take effect for 60 days to give the U.S. Department of Defense time to decide whether to appeal.
The order is a victory for the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed a lawsuit against the government in 2004 seeking the release of the photographs.
“The photos are crucial to the public record,” ACLU deputy legal director Jameel Jaffer said in a news release. “They’re the best evidence of what took place in the military’s detention centers, and their disclosure would help the public better understand the implications of some of the Bush administration’s policies.”
The Department of Defense did not immediately return an email seeking comment.