A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, based on US soldier accounts, says that the torture of Iraqi prisoners in US custody was authorized and even routine. John Sifton, author of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report said, “These accounts rebut US government claims that torture and abuse in Iraq was unauthorized and exceptional - on the contrary, it was condoned and commonly used.” The report suggests that the publicized torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib was not just the exception, but the norm. Severe beatings, sleep deprivation, sexual humiliation, and various other abuses were common practice for much of 2003-2005.

Soldiers who reported the atrocities were either ignored or rebuffed. One particular military police guard who took his concerns to an officer, was told: “You need to go ahead and drop this, sergeant.” The HRW report contradicts 12 previous reviews done by the Pentagon which claim that there never was any policy condoning or encouraging abuse. The Pentagon reviews have cleared senior officers of any wrong doing. A Pentagon spokesperson said, “The standard of treatment is and always has been humane treatment of detainees in custody.” The HRW has urged the US Congress to appoint an independent commission, rather than the Pentagon, to investigate the matter further.

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