NEW YORK (RUSHPRNEWS) O6/19/2008- Murat Kurnaz's story reads like a Hollywood screenplay, but, as he told 60 Minutes recently, it was a real world hell he endured for five years of his life. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, Kurnaz—a Turkish citizen and legal resident of Germany—was abducted while traveling in Pakistan with a group of missionaries. Sold as a terror suspect for a $3,000 bounty, Kurnaz was handed over to the U.S. military and shipped to a secret prison in Afghanistan.
Two months later, he was flown to Guantánamo. Kurnaz reports that while in U.S. custody he endured hundreds of interrogations and various forms of torture – including electric shocks, beatings, extreme temperatures, and being forced to hang by his hands for hours at a time.
Kurnaz eventually won his freedom in 2006, prompted by letters from Amnesty volunteers and personal pleas from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to President Bush—even though official documents show that U.S. and German authorities concluded back in 2002 that he should be released!
Can you make a donation today to help expand our work to end torture and indefinite detention without charges?
Your and my tax dollars paid the bounty that cost Murat Kurnaz five years of his life—and we must let U.S. officials know that we refuse to underwrite this illegal and un-democratic practice any longer.
Your gift to Amnesty's Denounce Torture campaign will be matched dollar-for-dollar until June 30th!
Murat Kurnaz endured torture and abuse during his five years of imprisonment at Guantánamo Bay.
A group of Amnesty donors have generously agreed to match every contribution up to $350,000, making this an especially great time to give as your donation will go twice as far! Our goal is to raise at least half of the matching funds online by June 30th – and your gift is essential to getting us there!
Just last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Guantánamo prisoners DO have the right to challenge their detention in an impartial court of law—and that the Bush Administration's alternative system of military tribunals is unconstitutional. Now, we must remain vigilant to ensure that the Bush Administration does not circumvent the ruling.
Please give as generously as you can to support Amnesty's Denounce Torture campaign—your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar until June 30th!
Thank you for your continued commitment to ending the use of torture and defending human rights around the world.
Sincerely,
Larry Cox
Executive Director
Amnesty International USA
P.S. If you've already made a match gift by mail or phone, please accept my sincere thanks, and consider making another gift today, which will also be matched.
