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Military Tribunals: Ensure Fairness
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Progressive Portal
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Jan 31, 2002 13:13 PST
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[From the American Civil Liberties Union]
SEND A FAX TO RUMSFELD:
ENSURE FAIRNESS IN MILITARY TRIBUNALS
In mid-November, President Bush issued an executive order that would
allow special military tribunals to try non-citizens charged with
terrorism. The breadth of his order raises serious concerns about
whether the government will provide basic due process protections to
those tried by military tribunals.
The ACLU believes that if the government insists on the use of military
tribunals, then these trials must ensure the fundamental rights of the
accused. These rights include the right to an attorney of their own
choosing and to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Furthermore,
evidence must NOT be obtained through torture or coercive interrogation.
The Department of Defense, which has been charged with drafting
regulations for how the tribunals will be used, has recently made
assurances that the tribunals will adhere to standards of fairness and
equal protection. We must act now to ensure that the Department follows
through on its promises.
Take Action! You can read more and send a FREE FAX to Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld from the ACLU's action alert at:
http://www.aclu.org/action/tribunals107.html
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