WASHINGTON — According to the recently released Senate Intelligence Committee report two psychologists were involved in the torture of detainees. APA is outraged that two psychologists committed such clear and inexcusable violations of their professional ethics. Drs. Mitchell and Jessen are not APA members, they are therefore beyond the reach of our ethics enforcement program but, if the allegations made about them are true, we believe they should be held accountable for violations of human rights and U.S. and international law.
Here are links to several recent and relevant documents:
APA President Nadine J. Kaslow’s response to The New York Times expressing her outrage that psychologists were involved in torturing detaineesopens in new window.
APA’s statement in response to the release of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee report.
In addition, the association has engaged attorney David Hoffman of the law firm of Sidley Austin to conduct an independent review of the allegation by author James Risen that APA colluded with the Bush administration to support torture as part of the war on terror.
Also, in 2013, APA’s Council of Representatives adopted a single, comprehensive policy to reconcile prior resolutions focused on detainee welfare and the work of psychologists in national security settings. APA has a longstanding policy that strictly prohibits the involvement of psychologists in torture or other forms of cruel or inhuman treatment under any circumstances. In addition, current APA policy states that psychologists may not work in settings where people are held outside of, or in violation of, international law or the U.S. Constitution “unless they are working directly for the persons being detained or for an independent third party working to protect human rights.”