Open Letter to American Psychological Association President, CEO, and Ethics Director: Stop Serving CIA/Pentagon

An Open Letter to Dr. James H. Bray, President, Dr. Norman B. Anderson, CEO, and Dr. Stephen Behnke, Director of Ethics, American Psychological Association

Dear Drs. Bray, Anderson and Behnke,

I would like you to know that today a trailer on the documentary Interrogation Psychologists can be viewed at HYPERLINK "http://www.youtube.com/user/DoctorsandDetainees Also, we have launched a web site that will provide information and videos on the complicity of health care professionals in detainee abuse.  You can view it at HYPERLINK http://www.DoctorsandDetainees.com We are also developing a full-length documentary for a general audience.

I am a Division 41 [American Psychology-Law Society] member of the American Psychological Association who remains deeply troubled by the APA's continued support for psychologist involvement in interrogations.   It is a policy that puts possible benefit to national security (for which there is no evidence) above the many, serious ways that the practice violates the Ethics Code.  Despite Resolutions against Torture and official statements, the APA has not disciplined psychologists involved in detainee abuse or reversed the PENS interrogation policy.   This forces psychologists appalled at the policy to go to the membership, the press, and the public in hopes that someday the APA will stop making decisions that serve the C.I.A. and U.S. Department of Defense at the expense of the integrity of the profession.

It appears until now that APA officials can only make statements affirming the APA's stand against torture, but I hope that you can tell those who will be reading this open letter whether the leadership of the APA is working to rescind the PENS interrogation policy and reform the flaws in the system that established and promulgated it.

Sincerely,

Martha Davis