The Senate Armed Services Committee’s investigation into the use of torture has concluded its report on the use of torture as part of the war on terror. Only the executive summary and conclusions of the report have been released, the rest remaining classified.

The Committee concluded, among other things, that President George Bush’s decision to deny detainees protections under the Geneva Conventions contributed to abuse, as did Bush’s decision to make humane treatment a matter of policy rather than law. It also found that former Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld’s authorisation of ‘aggressive’ techniques for use in Guantanamo Bay in 2002, which included stripping, hooding, sensory deprivation and the use of dogs, were an influence on interrogation policies in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Amnesty International has highlighted the need for a commission of inquiry into abuses resulting from the war on terror, and the necessity of prosecuting those who have committed criminal wrongdoings under national or international law, regardless of rank or position. The human rights organisation has also warned that the establishment and operation of such a commission must not be used to block the prosecution of any individuals against whom there is already enough evidence of wrongdoing.

The United States are required by international law to respect and ensure human rights, to thoroughly investigate every violation of those rights, and to bring perpetrators to justice, no matter their level of office or former level of office. Victims of human rights violations have the right under international law to effective access to remedy and reparation. In addition, there is a collective and individual right to the truth about violations.

Amnesty International America Programme Director Susan Lee has also highlighted the need for “full accountability for the devastating consequences o the authorisation of torture and other unlawful practices as part of the war on terror.”