Letter to the Editor

To the Editor

Where is the ABA on the Bush Administration's ongoing efforts to thwart the rule of law, illegally imprison and torture suspects, and undermine the Geneva Convention? We seem to be obsessed with minor, internal issues, while all but ignoring the major issues of our time. America, and its leading bar association, need to stand up for justice and the rights of all people to due process, equal protection of the law, humane treatment of prisoners, and a fair trial.

Please, take a stand and shout it from the rooftops!

Michael D. Homans
Flaster/Greenberg P.C.
1628 JFK Boulevard, 15th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Thank you for your letter. We appreciate the opportunity to advise our members of our activity on these issues and to assure you that we take them very seriously.

The ABA has been actively concerned about our nation's commitment to preserving individual rights in the face of threats from terrorists, and the issues have been and continue to be high on our list of legislative priorities:

Anti-Terrorism and Preservation of Due Process
The ABA urges that U.S. citizens and other residents detained as "enemy combatants" be afforded certain procedural rights, including the opportunity for meaningful judicial review of their status and access to counsel. The Association also urges that military tribunals authorized to conduct trials of suspected terrorists be used only in limited circumstances, that the procedures for trials and appeals be governed generally by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and that all defendants have the opportunity to receive the effective representation of civilian defense counsel. The ABA opposes any future electronic surveillance inside the United States for foreign intelligence purposes that does not comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The ABA opposes the incommunicado detention of foreign nationals and supports disclosure of the names of the detainees and the nature of the charges involved.

Each of the links above leads to additional information, including letters, testimony and news releases. I hope that you will find them helpful.

The Editor

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