Aug. 2, 2005 – Asserting that "privacy interests" and the safety of US troops trump the "public interest," government lawyers seeking a way out of releasing photographs and video reportedly documenting rampant abuse of detainees at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison facility in Iraq have filed partially sealed briefs with the court hearing the case. The American Civil Liberties Union denounced the action as more stalling in a legal battle over the release of the documentation of what many are calling torture.
ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero accused the administration of making "a mockery of the Freedom of Information Act" by keeping the photographs and videos from public scrutiny; and of reaching a "new low" in not making its reasoning public.
The District Court filing approved for public view is heavily-redacted, with whole pages and key details missing. In the papers, lawyers for the Bush administration argue that "the substantial privacy interests implicated by these images substantially outweigh the public interest in their release."
In addition, the papers tie past "disclosure of images depicting alleged abuse of detainees to insurgent attacks" in Iraq and Afghanistan. The papers also cite an April Newsweek report on Qur?ran desecration at the Guantánamo Bay prison camp that has been largely linked to riots in Afghanistan as further reason for keeping the photos and videos out of public hands.
People who have seen the videos at the center of the court battle, including members of Congress and reporter Seymour Hersh, have reported they include scenes involving far worse abuses than have so far reached the public, including rape and lewd acts committed against and in front of prisoners.
The court is scheduled to decide on the issues raised in the government briefs on August 15, the ACLU said.
