Press Releases
Justice
Census Bureau Releases Superficial Report
– 02/23/06
Former Judges Denounce Detention of Innocent Men at Guantanamo
The Brennan Center for Justice and the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP filed a brief yesterday on behalf of former federal judges in Qassim v. Bush. The brief argues that our federal courts have the power to end the four-year-plus detention of two men in the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base who the Government concedes are innocent, but who remain imprisoned. Such an arbitrary exercise of executive authority, contend the former judges, cannot go unchecked by the courts.
– 02/22/06
Court Issues Injunction Blocking US Citizen’s Transfer to Torture
Today, Judge Ricardo M. Urbina of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., issued a preliminary injunction barring transfer of U.S. citizen to Iraqi authorities where he would be at grave risk of torture. Judge Urbina rejected the governments sweeping claim that federal courts have no role protecting U.S. citizens liberties when the U.S. government detains them overseas. His decision transforms an emergency order, issued on February 3, into an ongoing preliminary injunction.
– 02/13/06
Brief Forestalls Transfer of US Citizen Held Without Hearing or Charge to Iraqi Custody
Petitioner Shawqi Omar and his wife and son as next friends hereby submit supplemental briefing requested by the Court in support of the request for a Temporary Restraining Order preventing the United States government from transferring Mr. Omar, a United States citizen, to Iraqi authorities.
– 02/04/06
Brennan Center Files Brief in Guantanamo Detainees’ Case
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law yesterday filed a friend of the court brief arguing that the Detainee Treatment Act does not cut off meaningful access to the courts for detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
– 01/26/06
Brennan Center Opposes Undermining of Anti-Torture Ban by Graham-Levin-Kyl Amendment
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law expressed deep concern over a provision of the Defense Appropriations bill that Congress has passed. This provision would effectively permit the use of evidence obtained by torture in the cases of Guantanamo Naval Base detainees. At issue is an amendment, introduced by Senators Lindsey Graham, Carl Levin and Jon Kyl that would severely curtail federal court review of detainees cases, allow military tribunals to rely on evidence gained from torture, and undermine vital ongoing attorney-client relations for Guantanamo detainees.
– 12/23/05
Retired Federal Judges Urge Congress Not to Pass “Court-Stripping” Measure that Would Deny Rights in
A group of retired federal judges urged lawmakers not to strip federal courts of the power to hear habeas corpus pleas from prisoners detained at the Guantnamo Naval Base. In a letter sent to Congress yesterday, they warned that this proposal would undermine the rule of law and constitutional tradition. The Brennan Center for Justice helped coordinate the judges efforts.
– 12/08/05