PHR's Media

War Crimes and the White House: The Bush Administration's Cover-Up of the Dasht-e-Leili Massacre

PHR — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:20:52 -0700

***UPDATED VERSION***
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) has issued a call for a criminal probe in the wake of a major New York Times story by James Risen with new evidence that the Bush Administration impeded at least three federal investigations into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan in 2002. ("U.S. Inaction Seen After Taliban P.O.W.s Died" - NYTimes.com http://bit.ly/wHwpc)
PHR is calling for the Department of Justice to investigate why the Bush Administration impeded an FBI criminal probe of the alleged Dasht-e-Leili massacre.
According to US government documents obtained by PHR, as many as 2,000 surrendered Taliban fighters were reportedly suffocated in container trucks by Afghan forces operating jointly with the US in November 2001. The bodies were reportedly buried in mass graves in the Dasht-e-Leili desert near Sheberghan, Afghanistan. Notorious Afghan warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum, who was reportedly on the CIA payroll, is allegedly responsible for the massacre.
This video, detailing nearly eight years of advocacy and investigation by Physicians for Human Rights, explores the events surrounding the massacre and subsequent cover-up.
Featuring Physicians for Human Rights' CEO Frank Donaghue, Campaign Against Torture Director Nathaniel Raymond, and Deputy Director Susannah Sirkin. Written, directed, and narrated by Jared Voss.
For more information and to sign our petition calling for Attorney General Eric Holder to let the FBI do its job, visit http://AfghanMassGrave.org.

War Crimes and the White House: The Bush Administration's Cover-Up of the Dasht-e-Leili Massacre

PHR — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:16:35 -0700

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) has issued a call for a criminal probe in the wake of a major New York Times story by James Risen with new evidence that the Bush Administration impeded at least three federal investigations into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan in 2002.

PHR is calling for the Department of Justice to investigate why the Bush Administration impeded an FBI criminal probe of the alleged Dasht-e-Leili massacre.

According to US government documents obtained by PHR, as many as 2,000 surrendered Taliban fighters were reportedly suffocated in container trucks by Afghan forces operating jointly with the US in November 2001. The bodies were reportedly buried in mass graves in the Dasht-e-Leili desert near Sheberghan, Afghanistan. Notorious Afghan warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum, who was reportedly on the CIA payroll, is allegedly responsible for the massacre.

This video, detailing nearly eight years of advocacy and investigation by Physicians for Human Rights, explores the events surrounding the massacre and subsequent cover-up.

Featuring Physicians for Human Rights' CEO Frank Donaghue, Campaign Against Torture Director Nathaniel Raymond, and Deputy Director Susannah Sirkin. Written, directed, and narrated by Jared Voss.

For more information and to sign our petition calling for Attorney General Eric Holder to let the FBI do its job, visit AfghanMassGrave.org.

Margaret Salmon, MD, Interview on Kamiar Alaei

PHR — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:12:07 -0700

Margaret Salmon was a classmate of Kamiar Alaei at the Harvard School of Public Health. Margaret shares a charming anecdote about Kamiar and calls for his release.
Doctor Arash Alaei and Doctor Kamiar Alaei are two Iranian physicians who were detained in June 2008 by Iranian authorities. The physicians, who are brothers, were kept in Tehrans notorious Evin prison for over six months without charges or trial. On December 31, 2008, a one-day, closed-door trial was held, in which the brothers were tried as conspirators working with an enemy government to overthrow the government of Iran. They were also tried at that time on unspecified other charges which neither they nor their lawyer were allowed to know, see the evidence of, or address.
On January 19, the Doctors Alaei were convicted and sentenced under charges of being in communications with an enemy government and seeking to overthrow the Iranian government under article 508 of Irans Islamic Penal Code. Kamiar was sentenced to three years and Arash was sentenced to six.
On January 19, the Doctors Alaei were convicted and sentenced under charges of being in communications with an enemy government and seeking to overthrow the Iranian government under article 508 of Irans Islamic Penal Code. Kamiar was sentenced to three years and Arash was sentenced to six.

Clint Trout Interview on Kamiar Alaei

PHR — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:02:17 -0700

Clint Trout was next door neighbors with Kamiar Alaei when they were both students at the Harvard School of public health. Clint recalls Kamiar's passion for addressing the needs of people living with AIDS in Iran and elsewhere, including PLWA in US prisons.
Doctor Arash Alaei and Doctor Kamiar Alaei are two Iranian physicians who were detained in June 2008 by Iranian authorities. The physicians, who are brothers, were kept in Tehrans notorious Evin prison for over six months without charges or trial. On December 31, 2008, a one-day, closed-door trial was held, in which the brothers were tried as conspirators working with an enemy government to overthrow the government of Iran. They were also tried at that time on unspecified other charges which neither they nor their lawyer were allowed to know, see the evidence of, or address.
On January 19, the Doctors Alaei were convicted and sentenced under charges of being in communications with an enemy government and seeking to overthrow the Iranian government under article 508 of Irans Islamic Penal Code. Kamiar was sentenced to three years and Arash was sentenced to six.
Doctor Arash Alaei and Doctor Kamiar Alaei have played a role in putting the issues of drug use and HIV/AIDS on Irans national health care agenda. They have worked closely with government and religious leaders to ensure support for education campaigns on HIV transmission, including those targeting youth, and for HIV and harm reduction programs in prisons.
Since completing their medical training, the brothers have worked in AIDS research in Iran, and along with other clinicians and advocates, helped make the country a leader in prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS. They played a part in the creation of Irans HIV/AIDS prison program, one of the best in the region if not the world. The program passes out condoms and syringes in the prisons, one of only a handful of countries globally doing so. The doctors have also shared their knowledge with neighboring countries by holding training workshops for Afghan and Tajik health professionals.
Dr. Arash was scheduled to speak at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. A coalition of groups including PHR will be sponsoring an empty chair with his name, to bring attention to the detention of the brothers. Dr. Kamiar, a doctoral candidate at the SUNY Albany School of Public Health, is expected to return to his program in September.
Family, friends, and colleagues from around the world are deeply concerned for the brothers well-being. We urge you to take action today to ensure their human rights are protected and they are reconnected with their family.

Shiv Pillay, MD, Speaks about His Friend Binayak Sen, MD at Harvard Square Vig

PHR — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:47:03 -0700

May 14, 2009. Shiv Pillay attended the vigil for Binayak Sen, MD in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. Dr. Pillay attended medical school with Dr. Sen and spoke about Dr. Sen's integrity and drive to improve the lives of others.
The ailing pediatrician and human rights defender, Dr. Binayak Sen, has languished for two years in the central jail in Raipur, the capital of the state of Chhattisgarh in central India. The government accuses him of aiding and abetting terrorists a charge Dr. Sen has consistently denied and one that Amnesty International deems baseless and politically motivated.

Susannah Sirkin at Harvard Square Rally for Binayak Sen, MD

PHR — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:41:13 -0700

May 15, 2009. Human rights supporters gathered in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA for a vigil to call on India to release of Binayak Sen, MD.
The ailing pediatrician and human rights defender, Dr. Binayak Sen, has languished for two years in the central jail in Raipur, the capital of the state of Chhattisgarh in central India. The government accuses him of aiding and abetting terrorists a charge Dr. Sen has consistently denied and one that Amnesty International deems baseless and politically motivated.

Tortured Logic

PHR — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:11:47 -0700

How Medical Professionals Rationalized the Bush Administration's Torture Program.
PHR responds to the release of the Senate Armed Forces Committee report on detainee abuse.
With Nathaniel Raymond, Director of PHR's Campaign Against Torture.
Produced by Jared Voss

Farnoosh Hashemian Tells the Story of a Victim of US Torture

PHR — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:37:37 -0700

Ms. Hashemian led PHR's investigation of medical evidence of torture by the US.

Social Association of Afghan Justice Seekers protest in Kabul (2008)

PHR — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Families of war victims staged protest in Kabul on Dec.14, 2008 and demanded removal of criminals form the official posts. They staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the UNAMA office and asked for justice.

The protest was organized by the Social Association of the Afghan Justice Seekers (SAAJS) and most of the participants of victims of the last thirty years of armed conflict in Afghanistan.

Producer: SAAJS
Audio/Visual: sound, color

Language: Persian and English

Keywords: Protest, Afghanistan, Kabul, SAAJS, war-crimes, افغانستان

Contact Information: victims.families@googlemail.com

Frank Donaghue on the Dasht-e-Leili Mass Grave in Afghanistan

PHR — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Investigative reports by McClatchy newspapers, as well as PHR's own findings, have revealed that large sections of the Dasht-e-Leili mass grave in Northern Afghanistan have been dug up and removed.