Archiv: (Macht)Missbrauch / abuse (of power)


19.11.2025 - 19:17 [ Consortium News ]

What Did Palestine Action Do to be Named Terrorists?

Shortly after midnight on June 20, activists from Palestine Action cut through the outer fence of Brize Norton and sped across the tarmac on electric scooters.

Undetected by guards, they proceeded to spray red paint into the turbines of two Voyager aircraft, used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for air-to-air refueling and strategic air transport missions. Crowbars were also reportedly used.

Three days later, Britain’s home secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament that she had decided to proscribe Palestine Action under Section 3 of the Terrorism Act.

18.11.2025 - 19:57 [ USA Today / Youtube ]

Watch live: House expected to vote on releasing more Epstein files

The House is set to vote on Tuesday, on a measure that would force the Justice Department to release all of its records on Jeffrey Epstein.

18.11.2025 - 19:48 [ General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union / Netzpolitik.org ]

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse

I. BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION

1. On 11 May 2022, the Commission submitted to the Council and the European Parliament a proposal for a Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse 1 , which aims to oblige online service providers, such as providers of hosting services and interpersonal communications services, to prevent the dissemination of, to detect, report and remove child sexual abuse material (‘CSAM’), to prevent, detect and report the solicitation of children (‘grooming’), and to set up a new decentralised EU agency (the ‘EU Centre’) to support the implementation of the proposed Regulation, together with a network of national Coordinating Authorities and other competent authorities.

(…)

II. MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PRESIDENCY COMPROMISE TEXT
(…)
f) EU Centre to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (Articles 40-82, Recitals 58-74a):

– The EU Centre keeps its core functions by assessing, processing and forwarding reports from the providers, advising and otherwise supporting national authorities, facilitating the cooperation with stakeholders and establishing the databases of indicators to support the voluntary activities of providers using the derogation under Regulation (EU) 2021/1232 and the issuance of blocking and delisting orders.

– The tasks of the EU Centre are expanded to assist more strongly in the risk assessment and mitigation process, and to develop or facilitate the development of technologies;

– The strengthening of aspects of prevention is introduced, including the preparation of dedicated national strategies by the Member States and a comprehensive communication and outreach strategy by the EU Centre;

– Clarifications about the cooperation between the EU Centre and Europol are
included;

– The possibility for the cooperation of the EU Centre with other EU agencies and bodies, third countries and international organisations is introduced;

– The Executive Board should not be established. Its tasks are conferred on the Management Board of the EU Centre;

(i) ) Entry into force and application (Article 89, Recital 78a)

– The Presidency text foresees that this Regulation will apply 24 months after its entry into force, some provisions related to reporting, the EU Centre, data collection and transparency reporting after 48 months and the amendment to Regulation (EU) 2021/1232 immediately.

18.11.2025 - 18:29 [ Netzpolitik.org ]

EU-Staaten einigen sich auf freiwillige Chatkontrolle

Die Mehrheit der Staaten „unterstützten den Kompromissvorschlag“. Mindestens 15 sprachen sich dafür aus, darunter Deutschland und Frankreich.

Deutschland „begrüßte sowohl die Streichung der verpflichtenden Maßnahmen als auch die dauerhafte Verankerung freiwilliger Maßnahmen“.

18.11.2025 - 17:58 [ USA Today ]

When will the House vote to release files on Jeffrey Epstein? Latest on vote timing

When is the House vote on the Epstein files?

The House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act is expected to begin on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at around 2 p.m. ET, according to an update from Rep. Katherine Clark, the minority whip.
How to watch the House vote on Epstein files bill

Tune into USA TODAY‘s live stream – at the embed at the top of the page or on USA TODAY‘s YouTube channel − to watch the House vote in real time.

18.11.2025 - 16:46 [ WorldWithoutExploitation.org ]

National PSA Calling for Release of ALL the Epstein Files

For five administrations, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have been left in the dark, waiting for answers and accountability. After three decades, it’s finally time to bring the secrets out of the shadows. We are demanding the release of ALL the Epstein files.

The time is now! Call your member of congress and tell them to VOTE YES on the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

18.11.2025 - 15:47 [ Congress of the United States of America ]

S.2557 – Epstein Files Transparency Act

A BILL

To direct the Attorney General to make publicly available documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Epstein Files Transparency Act”.

SEC. 2. Release of documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein.

(a) In general.—Subject to subsection (c), not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and each United States Attorney‘s Office, that relate to—

(1) Jeffrey Epstein, including all investigations, prosecutions, or custodial matters;

(2) Ghislaine Maxwell;

(3) any flight logs or travel records, including manifests, itineraries, pilot records, and customs or immigration documentation, for any aircraft, vessel, or vehicle owned, operated, or used by Jeffrey Epstein or any related entity;

(4) any individuals, including government officials, named or referenced in connection with the criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity or plea agreements, or investigatory proceedings of Jeffrey Epstein;

(5) any corporate, nonprofit, academic, or governmental entities with known or alleged ties to the trafficking or financial networks of Jeffrey Epstein;

(6) any immunity deals, non-prosecution agreements, plea bargains, or sealed settlements involving Jeffrey Epstein or his associates;

(7) any internal Department of Justice communications, including emails, memoranda, and meeting notes, concerning decisions to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Jeffrey Epstein or his associates;

(8) any communications, memoranda, directives, logs, or metadata concerning the destruction, deletion, alteration, misplacement, or concealment of documents, recordings, or electronic data related to Jeffrey Epstein, his associates, his detention and death, or any investigative files; or

(9) any documentation of the detention or death of Jeffrey Epstein, including incident reports, witness interviews, medical examiner files, autopsy reports, and written records detailing the circumstances and cause of death.

18.11.2025 - 15:35 [ CBS News / Youtube ]

Watch Live: Epstein survivors, lawmakers speak ahead of House vote on full release of DOJ files

Reps. Ro Khanna, Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jeffrey Epstein survivors are holding a news conference ahead of a House vote on a bill that would compel the Justice Department to release all the documents related to the convicted sex offender.

17.11.2025 - 19:00 [ Physicians for Human Rights Israel ]

Death Sentence for Palestinians in Custody | New Report and Testimonies

Our latest report reveals that over the past two years, up to August 2025, at least 94 Palestinians have died in Israeli detention facilities. Yet, the report stresses that this unprecedented figure likely represents only a portion of the full death toll. Given the Israeli military’s practice of enforced disappearances since October 2023, the actual number of deaths may be considerably higher. Moreover, since the report was completed, four more Palestinians have died in the past month alone, pushing the total close to triple digits – deaths caused by the systemic denial of medical care and the torture of Palestinians in Israeli custody. These policies persist even now, despite the ceasefire in Gaza.

The report is based on 94 documented cases between October 7, 2023, and August 2025. This unprecedented toll, together with extensive findings and evidence of deaths caused by torture and medical neglect, points to a deliberate Israeli policy of killing Palestinians in custody.

At least 46 Palestinians died in Israel Prison Service (IPS) facilities, and 52 more died in military custody.

17.11.2025 - 18:45 [ Drop Site ]

Epstein and Israel

Drop Site‘s exclusive series on Jeffrey Epstein’s role in Israeli intelligence operations.

17.11.2025 - 18:18 [ Drop Site ]

Jeffrey Epstein and the Mossad: How The Sex-Trafficker Helped Israel Build a Backchannel to Russia Amid Syrian Civil War

(October 30, 2025)

Barak felt enormous urgency to secure a face-to-face meeting with Putin as soon as possible, before the conflict escalated further. Besides Epstein, he also requested comments from Ron Dermer, close confidante to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was preparing to become Israel’s next ambassador to the U.S. Barak wrote to Dermer, “i don’t care how you’ve corrected it. yours will be always better in clarity and conciseness than mine. try earlier. i don’t want events to overwhelm us.” Dermer swiftly returned a refined copy with more fluent English.

As was typical of Epstein’s style, he sent back a rough cut riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. Unlike Dermer’s narrower cut, Epstein significantly revised Barak’s piece, and added a new title: “Wait Until It’s Too Late.”

17.11.2025 - 17:50 [ Democracy Now ]

Epstein & Israel: Drop Site News Investigates Jeffrey Epstein’s Ties to Israeli Intelligence

(November 12, 2025)

As the House of Representatives moves closer to forcing the release of the Epstein files by the Department feel Justice, we turn now to look at a new series by Drop Site News looking at Epstein’s ties to Israeli intelligence and how he secretly brokered numerous deals for Israeli intelligence.

On Tuesday, Drop Site revealed an Israeli spy stayed for weeks at a time with Epstein in Manhattan. Drop Site has also looked at Epstein’s role brokering a security agreement between Israel and Mongolia and Epstein’s role in setting up a backchannel between Israel and Russia on Syria.

16.11.2025 - 12:51 [ Factually.co ]

What evidence supports the claim that Jeffrey Epstein worked for Mossad?

4. Where the Evidence Is Strongest — Access, Not Agency

The most robust, verifiable element in the public record is Epstein’s access to Israeli elites and documented interactions with Israeli figures. Email exchanges, travel logs, and eyewitness reporting establish clear lines of contact and hospitality: meetings, invitations, and visits that show Epstein operated comfortably within Israeli political and commercial circles. Reporting also documents at least one intelligence‑linked individual reportedly staying at Epstein’s properties, which is a factual basis for speculation about intelligence interest but not proof of operational employment. Analysts stress the difference between being a useful network node and being a paid or directed intelligence operative.

16.11.2025 - 12:46 [ USA Today ]

What Epstein‘s emails reveal about the rich and famous who sought his advice

There was virtually never a stated reason why all of these bigwigs – mostly men but also women – assumed Epstein would be able to provide insight into whatever was on their minds.

Epstein had no college degree; his first job was as a math and physics teacher at the elite Dalton School in Manhattan.

Despite that unconventional start, and with no transparent or easily explainable path to riches, Epstein emerged as a globe-trotting fixer who spent his time shuttling between luxury homes, private jets and his Caribbean island.

10.11.2025 - 23:37 [ Middle East Eye ]

Legal team presents new evidence of torture of Palestinian prisoners to ICC

New evidence regarding the torture of Palestinian prisoners whose mutilated bodies were returned by Israel was presented at the International Criminal Court by a legal team representing the victims of the genocide in Gaza.

Al Jazeera Arabic reported that evidence regarding the targeting of journalists was added to the ongoing series of legal efforts to prosecute Israel in the International court since 2008.

According to the report, documented medical evidence was presented by doctors and forensic experts through detailed reports, photos, videos, and family testimonies.

10.11.2025 - 23:20 [ theConservation.com ]

Arrest of top whistleblower shows extent of Israeli impunity over torture of Palestinian detainees

The arrest of Tomer-Yerushalmi, who was, until her resignation last week, Israel’s military advocate general, is the latest development in a dramatic scandal that has been unfolding since February 2024.

It started with a complaint filed by a doctor who had served in the medical facility next to the Sde Teiman detention camp in the Negev desert in southern Israel. Professor Yoel Donchin reported that a detainee appeared to have been a victim of a severe assault. The detainee arrived at the hospital showing signs of beating and possible brutal sexual assault.

10.11.2025 - 21:28 [ Ori Goldberg / +972 Magazine ]

Both sides of the Sde Teiman leak debate reflect Israel’s moral decay

(November 7, 2025)

Over the past two years, Maj. Gen. Tomer-Yerushalmi — the official responsible for all internal investigations and legal enforcement in the Israeli army — has almost entirely refrained from probing the countless, well-documented allegations against its soldiers. The Sde Teiman guards’ crime, however, as captured in the leaked video, was apparently so blatant and grotesque that authorities had no choice but to issue indictments.

When Israeli military police arrived at Sde Teiman to arrest the suspects, however, they were met by right-wing rioters and soldiers, including several members of Knesset hiding behind their immunity. Attempting to block the arrests, they insisted that the perpetrators did nothing wrong and that their actions were merely part of the Israeli war effort.

Tomer-Yerushalmi leaked the video of the rape soon after, and it quickly spread online. Protests by right-wing Israelis in support of the abusers grew in turn. But while many around the world were aghast at what could only be described as “right to rape” protests, the discussion in Israel quickly faded in favor of daily news of “successes” on the Gazan front. The case was largely forgotten for months, until the investigation into the video’s leak was announced last week.

10.11.2025 - 21:24 [ theGuardian.com ]

Israeli media airs footage showing alleged sexual abuse of Palestinian detainee – video

(August 8, 2024)

A spokesperson for Israel’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

The Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz spoke to Yoel Donchin, the doctor who treated the prisoner in the incident who said he suffered from „a ruptured bowel, a severe injury to his anus, lung damage and broken ribs“.

10.11.2025 - 21:15 [ BBC ]

Israeli military‘s top lawyer resigns over leak of video allegedly showing abuse of Palestinian detainee

(October 31, 2025)

After her resignation was accepted by the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Katz put out a statement welcoming the decision.

„Anyone who spreads blood libels against IDF troops is unfit to wear the army‘s uniform,“ he said.

The leaked video was broadcast on the Israeli Channel 12 news in August 2024.

The footage shows soldiers at Sde Teiman taking aside a detainee, then surrounding him with riot shields to block visibility while he was stabbed in the rectum with a sharp object. The detainee was treated for severe injuries.

10.11.2025 - 20:52 [ Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor ]

Clear evidence of brutal torture: Condition of Palestinian bodies released from Israeli prisons demands urgent int’l investigation

(October 16, 2025)

Euro-Med Monitor’s field team monitored the Israeli authorities’ handover of the bodies of 120 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), delivered in three consecutive batches: 45 on Tuesday, 45 on Wednesday, and 30 on Thursday, including dozens of unidentified remains.

Medical examinations, forensic reports, and observations by the field team revealed conclusive evidence that many victims were killed after being detained. Their bodies bore clear marks of hanging, rope imprints around their necks, injuries from close-range gunfire, bound hands and feet with plastic restraints, and blindfolds. Some bodies were crushed under tank tracks, while others showed severe signs of physical torture, fractures, burns, and deep wounds.

Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, said: “The bodies we received were bound like animals, blindfolded, and bore horrific signs of torture and burns that reveal the extent of the crimes committed in secret. They did not die naturally; they were executed after being restrained. These people were not buried underground, they were kept in the occupation’s refrigerators for long months.”

01.11.2025 - 00:34 [ United Nations ]

‘Blood on the sand. Blood on the hands’: UN decries world’s failure as Sudan’s El Fasher falls

“What is unfolding in El Fasher recalls the horrors Darfur was subjected to twenty years ago,” Mr. Fletcher said, referring to the atrocities of the early 2000s that shocked the world and eventually led to International Criminal Court indictments.

“But somehow today we are seeing a very different global reaction – one of resignation,” he continued. “This is also a crisis of apathy.”

“The Sudan crisis is, at its core, a failure of protection, and our responsibility to uphold international law,” Mr. Fletcher said. “Atrocities are committed with unashamed expectation of impunity…the world has failed an entire generation.”

01.11.2025 - 00:24 [ United States Mission to the United Nations ]

Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Sudan and South Sudan

(October 30, 2025)

The United States condemns in the strongest terms the horrific violence occurring in El Fasher. The situation is both tragic and appalling.

We have said this before, and we will say it again – the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias have committed genocide.

The RSF has and continues to systematically kill men and boys – even infants – and deliberately target women and children for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence. These crimes are ethnically motivated.

RSF militias are targeting civilians as they flee, killing innocent people escaping conflict, and preventing those who remain from accessing life-saving supplies.

The United States condemns these abhorrent atrocities in no uncertain terms. Those responsible should be held accountable, including through sanctions, as noted by the Sudan Sanctions Panel of Experts in its most recent report.

(…)

Colleagues, ending wars is a priority for President Trump, and the United States remains committed to working with our partners and other stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

Together, we are focused on securing an immediate humanitarian truce, halting external support, and advancing a transition to civilian governance.

31.10.2025 - 23:25 [ United Nations ]

Tens of thousands fleeing on foot amid atrocities in Sudan’s El Fasher

Since the powerful paramilitary group made a major incursion into the city last week, the UN human rights office has received “horrendous accounts of summary executions, mass killings, rapes, attacks against humanitarian workers, looting, abductions and forced displacement,” said Seif Magango, spokesperson for the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

Speaking from Nairobi to journalists in Geneva, Mr. Magango said numerous testimonies had been received from residents who had fled in terror as the city fell, then “survived the threatening journey to Tawila, approximately 70 kilometres away” – a journey that takes three to four days on foot.

26.10.2025 - 14:53 [ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ]

Sanft entsorgt

(30.03.2014)

Eine verschlüsselte Festplatte war im November 2011 dem BKA ausgehändigt worden.

Die Excel-Dateien und Filmkopien enthielten unter anderem Edathys Schicksalsdaten: Ab der Spalte 5.311 unter dem Buchstaben „S“ wie Sebastian befanden sich seine Bestellungen für Bilder nackter Jungen. Aber bis zu diesem Eintrag kam die Beamtin nicht. Sie blieb bei der groben Durchsicht bei Spalte 1123 hängen: Und war wie elektrisiert: Denn dort stand, unter dem Buchstaben „D“, der Name ihres BKA-Gruppenleiters.

26.10.2025 - 14:21 [ Nachdenkseiten ]

Schon wieder Hausdurchsuchung wegen „falscher“ Meinung: Diese Einschüchterungen müssen aufhören!

Hintergrund ist laut Bolz‘ Anwalt Joachim Steinhöfel ein Tweet aus dem Januar 2024, in dem Bolz schrieb:

„Gute Übersetzung von woke: Deutschland erwache!“

(…)

Nach Angaben der Staatsanwaltschaft kam der Hinweis von einer Meldestelle gegen Hetze in Netz, wie Medien berichten. Nach Informationen der Welt erhielt die Zentrale Meldestelle für strafbare Inhalte im Internet (ZMI) des Bundeskriminalamtes (BKA) bereits am 27. November 2024 eine Meldung der Plattform „HessenGegenHetze“ zu dem Beitrag von Bolz. Laut den Berichten ging auch im sogenannten „Schwachkopf“-Prozess gegen einen bayerischen Rentner, der ein satirisches Meme über Wirtschaftsminister Robert Habeck (Grüne) geteilt hatte, der entscheidende Hinweis von „HessenGegenHetze“ aus.

Kürzlich hatte auch der Politiker Jürgen Todenhöfer berichtet, dass gegen ihn wegen Äußerungen in sozialen Netzwerken ein Beschluss für Hausdurchsuchung, Leibesvisitation und Beschlagnahme vorliege, der aber nicht vollstreckt worden sei, wie Medien berichten.

22.10.2025 - 11:07 [ Al Jazeera ]

Forensic teams uncover signs of torture, decomposition on bodies returned by Israel

Forensic teams have reported horrific conditions endured by these Palestinians. Some of the bodies show visible signs of torture, while others have arrived in a decomposed state. This raises serious questions about the circumstances of their deaths, as Israel has not provided further details regarding their ages, names or how they died.

At the moment, the Health Ministry is continuing ground preparations, and it is possible the burials will take place in the city of Deir el-Balah.

22.10.2025 - 10:50 [ Middle East Eye ]

Forensic tests confirm torture on bodies of 54 Palestinians returned by Israel, says Gaza officials

Gaza authorities condemned these acts, describing them as „horrific crimes,“ and called on international organisations to pursue justice. The statement urged global institutions to hold those responsible for these „massacres“ accountable under international law.

18.10.2025 - 15:43 [ Al Jaźeera ]

‘Physical and psychological torture was the highlight last two years’ : Mohammad Dahleh

Mohammad Dahleh, a human rights lawyer, says “the motive for revenge” among the Israeli society was strong after the October 7, 2023 attack, and the country’s prison authority acted with the same motive towards inmates.

He said the Israeli prison system started beating and torturing prisoners right after the attack.

“They also prevented prisoners from sleeping and worshipping,” Dahleh told Al Jazeera from the occupied East Jerusalem, adding that many prisoners were deprived of medical treatment, which led to deaths in jails.

18.10.2025 - 15:17 [ Al Jazeera ]

‘When I woke up, I realised I had lost my sight’: Released Palestinian detainee recounts torture

Mahmoud Abu Foul, 28, lost his leg in a 2015 Israeli bombing and was arrested late last year at Kamal Adwan Hospital.

He endured eight months of severe torture in Israeli custody, including with iron tools and electric shocks, which left him blind after a coma. Released recently, he remains without eye treatment and is now living in a tent in Gaza near ruins.

18.10.2025 - 15:06 [ Al Jazeera ]

What we know about the torture, abuse of Palestinian prisoners by Israel

Naji Abbas, director of the prisoners and detainees department for Physicians for Human Rights Israel, said his organisation was “not surprised” at the condition of the bodies released.

“We have recorded hundreds of instances of torture and deaths in the Israeli prison system, dozens of Palestinians who have been killed, beaten to death, or have died after being refused treatment for months,” Abbas said.

One autopsy the organisation examined showed signs of violence on the body eight months after the person died, he added.

“These are documented cases of detainees’ bodies with clear signs of torture and of having been brutally restrained before death, and still it is not on every television and in every newspaper,” Abbas said.

10.10.2025 - 01:00 [ Anadolu ]

Activists detained from Gaza aid flotilla face physical abuse, humiliation in Israeli detention: Legal center

Israeli naval forces attacked a 9-boat convoy by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) heading to Gaza to break Israel’s illegal blockade on Wednesday and detained around 150 activists aboard.

“Some flotilla participants reported physical abuse, humiliation, and inhuman treatment during and after the interception, including being kicked, slapped, having their hair pulled, or being grabbed aggressively by soldiers,” Adalah Legal Center said in a statement.

“Some were forced into stressful positions, including being made to kneel for hours with their heads down and hands restrained behind their backs, or to sit on their knees for extended periods, in some cases while exposed to the sun.

“Some participants reported being mocked, insulted, and coerced into repeating degrading statements, including declarations of love for Israel or denigration of their own countries,” it added.

09.10.2025 - 23:51 [ Middle East Eye ]

Polish activists return from Gaza flotilla, denounce Israeli ‘brutality’ and Warsaw’s inaction

The delegation, arriving on a flight from Athens, included ruling Civic Platform (PO) lawmaker Franciszek Sterczewski, activists Omar Faris and Nina Ptak, and journalist Ewa Jasiewicz. Faris, Ptak, and Sterczewski were deported to Greece on Monday, while Jasiewicz had left Israel earlier.

Sterczewski sharply criticized both Israel and Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski.(…)

“They treated us absolutely brutally. For several hours, I’m 73 years old, they tied my hands behind my back and put me on rocks,” Faris said.

He added that during interrogation in an Israeli prison, the activists were questioned about possible links to Hamas. “Our problem is the occupation, which began 42 years before the founding of Hamas,” he said. “You won’t be able to kill us. And we don’t want to kill you either. We want a solution like in South Africa — a democratic state for all, regardless of religion.”

08.10.2025 - 18:31 [ DawnNews English / Youtube ]

Greta Thunberg Alleges Torture During Detention in Israeli Prison After Gaza Flotilla Arrest

Thunberg told a news conference in Stockholm that she and others were „kidnapped and tortured“ by the Israeli military.

She declined to elaborate, adding when pressed that she didn‘t get clean water and that other detainees were deprived of critical medication.

Israel‘s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment but has repeatedly denied mistreating the detainees.