Washington, D.C., January 6, 2005 – The American Public Health Association (APHA) today expressed its outrage about reports of health practitioner participation in the abuse of military detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
“These practices are unacceptable and, if true, violate the Geneva Conventions,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, APHA executive director.
The Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, U.S. Army regulations and the War Crimes Act require military personnel not to engage in and to report acts of abuse and torture. This is of particular concern for those who have pledged to heal. APHA adds its voice to the call for a full and thorough investigation of the role of medical personnel in the treatment of military prisoners and detainees.
The American Public Health Association adopted policy in November 2004 that:
- Condemns any participation in, cooperation with, or failure to report by health professionals the mental or physical abuse, sexual degradation, or torture of prisoners or detainees.;
- Urges health professionals to report abuse or torture of prisoners and detainees.;
- Supports the rights of health workers to be protected from retribution for refusing to participate or cooperate in abuse or torture in military settings.; and
- Urges schools and programs responsible for the education of health professionals to include training in ethical conduct, the internationally recognized codes of professional behavior, and historical cases of abuse and torture of prisoners by health professionals.
To view the policy, visit www.apha.org.