NGOs Seek Information About U.S. Involvement in Somali Detention Operations

The Open Society Foundations and several leading civil and human rights organizations have released a letter sent to President Obama regarding Central Intelligence Agency operations in Somalia and possible violations of U.S. and international law. Referencing an executive order that calls for humane treatment of all U.S. custodial detainees, the closure of CIA-run detention centers, and an end to extraordinary renditions, the letter asks the Administration for transparency in its Somalia detention operations. 

The letter also requests information regarding measures taken to ensure that both U.S. actors and partners abide by all legal obligations in the handling of detainees and to reaffirm a commitment to respect the rule of law and human rights in counterterrorism operations.