Timeline of APA Policies & Actions Related to Detainee Welfare and Professional Ethics in the Context of Interrogation and National Security

The American Psychological Association's (APA) position on torture is clear and unequivocal: Any direct or indirect participation in any act of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by psychologists is strictly prohibited. There are no exceptions. Such acts as waterboarding, sexual humiliation, stress positions and exploitation of phobias are clear violations of APA's no torture/no abuse policy.

Oct. 22, 2017

Aug. 23, 2017

APA President Antonio E. Puente, PhD, and CEO Arthur C. Evans, PhD, send letters to President Donald J. Trump and other key federal officials to inform them about our APA policies regarding psychologists’ roles in national security and interrogation processes. 

• Letter to President Donald J. Trump (PDF, 82KB)
• Letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis (PDF, 82KB)
• Letter to CIA Director Mike Pompeo (PDF, 82KB)
• Letter to Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats (PDF, 82KB)
• Letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke (PDF, 82KB)
• Letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray (PDF, 82KB)
• Letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions (PDF, 82KB)

Feb. 13, 2017

APA President Antonio Puente, PhD, and Interim CEO Cynthia Belar, PhD, ABPP, send letters to President Donald J. Trump and other key federal officials to urge against use of torture or abusive treatment of detainees. Letters included a statement by the Society of Military Psychology (APA Div. 19 — PDF, 94KB) co-signed by 40 of APA’s 54 divisions.

• Letter to President Donald J. Trump (PDF, 36KB)
• Letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis (PDF, 36KB)
• Letter to CIA Director Mike Pompeo (PDF, 36KB)
• Letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions (PDF, 36KB)

Jan. 27, 2017

• APA issues press release: American Psychological Association Warns Against Reinstituting ‘Enhanced’ Interrogations

Nov. 22, 2016

APA President Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, sends a letter to U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. (PDF, 51KB), expressing APA's strong support of his statement in which he pledged that the United States will not waterboard national security detainees and reiterated his opposition to torture.

Aug. 3, 2016

APA amends Standard 3.04 of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code) to include a direct prohibition regarding participating in torture, defined as “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person, or in any other cruel, inhuman, or degrading behavior that violates 3.04(a).” 

April 15, 2016

APA re-engages attorney David Hoffman and the law firm Sidley Austin on a limited basis to review and respond to questions regarding specific Department of Defense (DoD) policies that may be relevant to the findings of the Independent Review the association released in 2015. 

Feb. 26, 2016

APA names 17 psychologists and ethics experts to the Commission on Ethics Processes

. They plan to review all of the association's ethics processes and procedures, present a progress report at the August 2016 Board and Council meetings, and present their final report at the February 2017 meetings of the APA Board of Directors, Council Leadership Team and Council of Representatives. 

Feb. 12, 2016

APA President Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, and APA Interim Chief Executive Officer Cynthia D., Belar, PhD, ABPP, send a letter to President Barack Obama (PDF, 101 KB) calling for lifting U.S. restrictions to portions of the UN's Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Feb. 9, 2016 

APA issues a call for comments on proposed language to revise Standard 3.04 of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code) regarding prohibitions surrounding psychologist participation in national security interrogations.

Jan. 8, 2016

The Department of Defense responds (PDF, 290KB) to the Oct. 28, 2015, letter (PDF, 32KB) from APA President Barry S. Anton, PhD, ABPP, and former APA CEO Norman B. Anderson, PhD, which detailed APA's new policy that includes a prohibition against the involvement of psychologists in national security interrogations.

November 2015

• APA Ethics Committee updates 2009 Statement: No Defense to Torture Under the APA Ethics Code

Oct. 28, 2015

• Letter to President Barack Obama (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to CIA Director John Brennan (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Frazier Thompson IV, Director, High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group (PDF, 43KB)
• Letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Chairman Mac Thornberry and Ranking Member Adam Smith, House Committee on Armed Services (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Chairman John McCain and Ranking Member Jack Reed, Senate Committee on Armed Services (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Chairman Devin Nunes and Ranking Member Adam Schiff, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Chairman Richard Burr and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers, House Committee on Judiciary (PDF, 32KB)
• Letter to Chairman Charles Grassley and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Senate Committee on Judiciary (PDF, 32KB)

Oct. 16, 2015

• Letter to Members of the American MENA Community (PDF, 214KB)
  APA President Barry S. Anton, PhD, ABPP, writes a letter in response to the Aug. 14, 2015, open letter to APA and the psychological community from the American Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) Psychological Network.

Sept. 25, 2015

• APA reports a summary of activities related to the Independent Review that took place at the Fall Consolidated Meeting Round 1.
• APA Commission on Ethics Processes: Call for Nominations
  APA is forming a commission to evaluate and recommend changes to APA's ethics processes (e.g., educative and adjudicative functions; potential conflicts in human rights considerations; assessment of current policies, practices and procedures of the Ethics Office).

Sept. 12, 2015

• Follow Up Letter to the International Community 
  APA Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, and President-elect Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, send an email message to the international psychological community on behalf of APA regarding APA actions in response to the findings of the Hoffman Report.

Sept. 4, 2015

Attorney David H. Hoffman delivers a revised version of the original July 2, 2015, Independent Review Report relating to APA ethics guidelines, national security interrogations and torture, with an errata sheet detailing revisions to the report.

• Report of the Independent Reviewer, Revised Sept. 4, 2015 (PDF, 2 MB)
• Errata Sheet of Sept. 4, 2015, Revisions to the Report of the Independent Reviewer (PDF, 28KB)

Aug. 19, 2015

• Letter to the Editor of The Washington Post
  APA Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, and President-elect Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, respond to the Aug. 17 column "Psychology and Security," highlighting the challenges that APA has faced in developing policy related to the roles of psychologists in national security.

Aug. 14, 2015

• Open Letter (PDF, 297KB)
  Members of the American Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) Psychological Network send an open letter to APA and the psychological community regarding "events spanning the past decade" that were documented in the Hoffman Report.
  
  
• Member Letter
  APA President-elect Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, and Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, send an email to all APA members announcing results of APA's Council of Representatives' deliberations at the APA 2015 Annual Convention in Toronto.

Aug. 7, 2015

APA Council of Representatives votes 157-1 to prohibit psychologists from participating in national security interrogations.

• Press Release: APA's Council Bans Psychologist Participation in National Security Interrogations
• Council of Representatives Resolution 23B (PDF, 263KB)
• Vote Count on Council of Representatives Resolution 23B (PDF, 87KB)
• Key Provisions of the New APA Policy

July 31, 2015

• APA Board of Directors revises its response to the Independent Review Report: "Recommended Board Actions Related to the Report of the Independent Review Relating to APA Ethics Guidelines, National Security Interrogations and Torture”

July 30, 2015 

APA informs leaders of key congressional committees about the findings of the Independent Review Report.

• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (PDF, 47KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee (PDF, 47KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (PDF, 47KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (PDF, 47KB)

July 29, 2015

• APA Board of Directors responds to the Independent Review Report: “Recommended Board Actions Related to the Report of the Independent Review Relating to APA Ethics Guidelines, National Security Interrogations and Torture.”

July 24, 2015

• Letter to APA members (PDF, 89KB)
  APA President-elect Susan McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, and APA Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, send letter to APA members requesting recommendation for action.

July 21, 2015

• Letter to Psychology Colleagues in the International Community (PDF, 135KB)
  APA Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, and President-elect Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, write letter to the international psychological community on behalf of APA regarding the findings of the Hoffman independent review.

July 11, 2015

• Release of the Final Report of the Special Investigator
  APA Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, and President-elect Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, send an email to all APA members following the leak of the Hoffman Report to The New York Times.

July 10, 2015

• APA issues press release: “Independent Review Cites Collusion Among APA Individuals and Defense Department Officials in Policy on Interrogation Techniques”

July 2, 2015

Attorney David H. Hoffman delivers the Independent Review Report relating to APA ethics guidelines, national security interrogations and torture, pursuant to the Nov. 12, 2014, resolution of the APA Board of Directors.

• Report of the independent reviewer  (PDF, 2.62MB)
• Index of Exhibits to the APA Independent Review Report  (PDF, 171KB)
• Binder 1  (PDF, 104MB)
• Binder 2  (PDF, 164MB)
• Binder 3  (PDF, 93MB)
• Binder 4  (PDF, 212MB)
• Binder 5  (PDF, 85MB)
• Binder 6  (PDF, 70MB)

June 10, 2015

• APA Urges “Yes” Vote on McCain-Feinstein Anti-Torture Amendment
• Letter to U.S. Sen. John McCain (PDF, 117KB)
• Letter to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (PDF, 116KB)
• APA Email Broadcast to U.S. Senate on McCain-Feinstein Amendment (PDF, 173KB)
  APA strengthened this call to action by mobilizing its grassroots member network to contact senators.

May 2, 2015

• New York Times Publishes APA Letter to the Editor in Response to James Risen Article, “Report Finds Collaboration Over Torture”

Dec. 23, 2014

• APA Article “The Psychology of Torture” Posted on The Mark News Website

Dec. 18, 2014

• APA Press Statement in Response to Concerns About Psychology’s Role in Detainee Torture

Dec. 14, 2014

• APA Response to Los Angeles Times Article About Psychologists’ Role in CIA Torture Program

Dec. 10, 2014

• APA Response to New York Times Article About Psychologists’ Participation in CIA Interrogation

Dec. 9, 2014

• APA Applauds Release of Senate Intelligence Committee Report Summary

Nov. 12, 2014

• Statement of APA Board of Directors: Outside Counsel to Conduct Independent Review of Risen Allegationzvqzzvxccytswveuuxcffuuuddbazv

• APA Board of Directors Resolution Regarding Independent Review

Oct. 16, 2014

• APA Response to Risen Book: “Pay Any Price: Greed, Power, and Endless War”

March 15, 2014

• APA Response to Forbes Magazine Opinion Pieces by Todd Essig

March 7, 2014

• APA Issues Press Statement About Informing Federal Officials of Policy Changes Related to Detainee Welfare and Interrogation in National Security Settings

Feb. 27, 2014

APA informs key federal and congressional officials of updates regarding APA policy related to detainee welfare and the role of psychologists in national security settings.

• Letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (PDF, 125KB)
• Letter to CIA Director John Brennan (PDF, 28KB)
• Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. (PDF, 28KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services (PDF, 29KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee (PDF, 125KB)
• Letter to Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (PDF, 29KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (PDF, 29KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (PDF, 29KB)
• Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee (PDF, 125KB)

Feb. 20, 2014

• Statement by the APA Board of Directors on the “No Cause for Action” Decision Regarding the Ethics Complaint against Dr. John Leso (PDF, 131KB)

Jan. 23, 2014

• APA Board of Directors and Ethics Committee Communiqué to the APA Council of Representatives in the matter of John Leso, PhD

Dec. 20, 2013

• APA writes to inform President Barack Obama of new unified APA policy related to detainee welfare and the work of psychologists in national security settings.

July 31, 2013

• Council of Representatives adopts a single, comprehensive policy to reconcile prior resolutions focused on detainee welfare and the work of psychologists in national security settings: "Policy Related to Psychologists' Work in National Security Settings and Reaffirmation of the APA Position Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment"

Dec. 5, 2011

• APA Response to Letter from Psychologists for an Ethical APA (PDF, 153KB)

Dec. 1, 2011

• APA Calls for Defeat of Ayotte Amendment #1068 to S. 1867
  APA writes to full Senate in opposition to the Ayotte amendment to the Defense Department authorization bill, which would have allowed the classified addition of lawful interrogation methods to the U.S. Army Field Manual.

July 25, 2011

• Comments and Feedback Requested on the Responses of the APA Ethics Committee to Questions, Comments, and Vignettes Regarding APA Policy on the Role of Psychologists in National Security-Related Activities (PDF, 6.74MB)

June 30, 2010

• APA letter to Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists re: complaint regarding Dr. James Elmer Mitchell (PDF, 95KB)

June 21, 2010

• APA Letter to CIA Director Leon Panetta (PDF, 20KB)

• APA Letter to Defense Department General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson (PDF, 21KB)

June 1, 2010

• Amendments to the APA Ethics Code that Address Potential Conflicts among Professional Ethics, Law and Organizational Demands Become Effective

Feb. 20, 2010

• APA Amends Ethics Code to Address Potential Conflicts Among Professional Ethics, Legal Authority and Organizational Demands

Dec. 14, 2009

• APA Briefs Defense Department Officials on APA's Policies Related to Psychologists and Interrogation

Aug. 5, 2009

• APA Council of Representatives Directs Change in its Ethics Code to Prevent So-Called Nuremberg Defense

July 31, 2009

• Letter to Stephen DeMers, EdD, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (PDF, 57KB)

June 18, 2009

• Open Letter from Board of Directors to APA Members Regarding Psychologists' Participation in Interrogations (PDF, 58KB) 
  
• Ethics Committee Statement: No Defense to Torture Under the APA Ethics Code (PDF, 23KB) 

June 4, 2009

• APA letter to President Barack Obama (PDF, 88KB) 
  
• APA letter to CIA Director Leon Panetta (PDF, 97KB) 
  
• APA letter to Attorney General Eric Holder (PDF, 91KB) 

May 28, 2009

• APA Responds to Journal Nature editorial "Responsible Interrogation" (PDF, 25KB) 

May 15, 2009

• APA Responds to British Medical Journal Article Comparing Interrogation Policies (PDF, 29KB) 

April 22, 2009

• APA President James H. Bray, PhD, Releases Op-ed, "Saying It Again: Psychologists Must Never Participate in Torture"

March 2009

• APA Central Office, at the Direction of the Council of Representatives, Forwards the Report of the APA Presidential Advisory Group on the Implementation of the Petition Resolution to Relevant Boards and Committees for Their Review and Appropriate Action

Feb. 21, 2009

• Council of Representatives Acts to Render Petition Resolution Official APA Policy (Monitor on Psychology) 

Feb. 20, 2009

• Council of Representatives Approves new APA Vision Statement that Includes Goal for APA to Serve as "An Effective Champion of the Application of Psychology to Promote Human Rights, Health, Well Being and Dignity"

Jan. 22, 2009

• APA Applauds President Obama's New Executive Orders Signaling Fundamental Change in the Rights and Treatment of Detainees
  

December 2008

• Report of the APA Presidential Advisory Group on the Implementation of the Petition Resolution (PDF, 75KB) 

Nov. 14-15, 2008

• APA Presidential Advisory Group on the Implementation of the Petition Resolution Meets (PDF, 34KB) 

November 2008

• Members Say No to Psychologist Involvement in Interrogations in Unlawful Detention Settings (Monitor on Psychology)

Oct. 6, 2008

• APA Letter to CIA Director Michael Hayden (PDF, 72KB) 
  
• APA Letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (PDF, 72KB) 
  
• APA Letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey (PDF, 126KB) 
  
• APA Letter to House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes and Ranking Member Pete Hoekstra (PDF, 71KB) 
  
• APA Letter to Senate Intelligence Committee Chair John D. Rockefeller IV and Vice Chair Christopher Bond (PDF, 72KB) 
  
• APA Letter to House Armed Service Committee Chairman Ike Skelton and Ranking Member Duncan Hunter (PDF, 73KB) 
  
• APA Letter to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin and Ranking Member John McCain (PDF, 73KB) 
  
• APA Letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and Ranking Member Lamar Smith (PDF, 72KB) 
  
• APA Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (PDF, 72KB) 

Oct. 2, 2008

• APA Letter to President Bush: New Policy Limits Psychologist Involvement in Interrogations

October 2008

• APA 2008 President Alan E. Kazdin Appoints Advisory Group to Study Implementation of Petition Resolution (PDF, 75KB) 

Sept. 17, 2008

• APA Members Approve Petition Resolution that Limits Psychologists' Roles in Settings that Violate International Law or the U.S. Constitution

Aug. 16, 2008

• APA Releases Statement Expressing Concern About Alleged Involvement of Psychologist in Abusive Interrogation of Guantanamo Detainee

June 2008

• APA's Board of Directors Approves Sending Petition Resolution to Membership

April 2008

• APA Responds to Democracy Now Editorial "The Real Anti-Torture President" (PDF, 24KB) 

Feb. 15, 2008

• APA Letter to President Bush (PDF, 48KB) 

Feb. 4, 2008

• APA Letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey (PDF, 126KB) 
  

Nov. 6, 2007

• APA Letter to House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Ranking Member Trent Franks (PDF, 68KB) 

Nov. 1, 2007

• APA Letter to President Bush (PDF, 33KB) 
  
• APA Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (PDF, 35KB) 
  
• APA Letter to CIA Director Michael Hayden (PDF, 33KB) 

Sept. 21, 2007

• APA Statement on Psychology and Interrogations Submitted to the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (PDF, 45KB) 

Aug. 20, 2007

• APA Calls on U.S. Government to Prohibit Use of Unethical Interrogation Techniques

Aug. 17-20, 2007

• APA Puts on "Ethics and Interrogations" at Annual Convention in San Francisco. Program Consists of Nine, Two-Hour Sessions with Forty-Four Speakers Addressing All Aspects of Psychologists' Involvement in Interrogations (PDF, 86KB) 

Aug. 19, 2007

• APA Council of Representatives Passes Resolution Specifying Types of Prohibited Interrogation Techniques
  zvqzzvxccytswveuuxcffuuuddbazv

July 18, 2007

• APA Responds to "Vanity Fair" Article (PDF, 25KB) 

Jan. 9, 2007

• APA Responds to "Washington Monthly" Article (PDF, 16KB) 
  

Sept. 21, 2006 

• APA President Gerald P. Koocher, PhD, co-signs letter with other leaders urging Sen. John McCain to ensure the applicability of the anti-torture ban across the federal government under the military commissions legislation. (PDF, 49KB) 

September 2006

• Letters to the Editor re: "Ethics and Interrogations: Comparing and Contrasting the American Psychological, American Medical and American Psychiatric Association Positions" (Monitor on Psychology)

Aug. 10, 2006

• APA Issues Release Reaffirming Unequivocal Position Against Torture and Abuse (PDF, 14KB) 

Aug. 9, 2006

• APA Council of Representatives Adopts Policy Reaffirming Opposition to Torture and Prohibition on Psychologist Participation

July 2006

• President's Column: Varied and Valued Roles (Monitor on Psychology)
  
• Ethics and Interrogations: Comparing and Contrasting the American Psychological, American Medical and American Psychiatric Association Positions (Monitor on Psychology)

April 2006

• Ethics and National Security (Monitor on Psychology)

Aug. 29, 2005

• APA Council Reviews Ethical Guidelines for Psychologists Participating in National Security-Related Investigations and Interrogations and Provides Direction for Additional Steps

Aug. 4, 2005

• APA Responds to Article in "The Lancet" (PDF, 26KB) 

July 5, 2005

• APA Releases PENS Task Force Report

July 2005

• APA's Board of Directors Adopts the Task Force Report as APA Policy

June 24-26, 2005

• PENS Task Force Meets
  
• APA's Board of Directors Adopts the Task Force Report as APA Policy

February 2005

• APA's Board of Directors Approves Funds for the Establishment the Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security (the PENS Task Force)
  

2002

• APA Council of Representatives Passes Resolution Calling on Psychology Community to Work Toward an End to Terrorism in All its Manifestations
  

1986

• APA’s Council of Representatives Approves Resolution Opposing Torture and Affirms Support of the U.N. Declaration and Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the U.N. Principles of Medical Ethics, as well as the Joint Congressional Resolution Opposing Torture that was Signed into Law by President Reagan on October 4, 1984
  

1985

• APA Issues Joint Statement with the American Psychiatric Association Condemning Torture (PDF, 14KB)