Gitmo Gag Orders Challenged

Torture testimony should be publicly aired, says ACLU

Tomorrow, a military commission judge at Guantánamo Bay will hear oral argument on the American Civil Liberties Union's challenge to censorship of torture testimony at the trial of the 9/11 defendants. This will be the ACLU's first appearance arguing before the tribunal.

In May, the ACLU filed a motion asking the commission to deny the government's request to prevent the public from hearing all statements by the defendants about their torture and detention while in U.S. custody. On that basis, the motion asks the commission to bar a delayed audio feed of the proceedings, or, in the alternative, promptly release an uncensored transcript.