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| Resources Articles, Letters, and Assorted Files |
PEAPA-sponsored Referendum
At the 2007 APA Convention in San Francisco, APA officials squashed members' attempts to pass an
interrogation moratorium, issuing in its place a more softly-worded anti-torture statement, containing
loopholes and no teeth. As a result, activist psychologists mobilized, and took the issue directly to
APA members with a petition. The petition eventually gathered support from over 1% of all APA
members, which was sufficient within APA Bylaws to bring the interrogation moratorium (referred to
variously as the "Referendum" or the "Petition Resolution") to a direct member vote. The
Referendum passed with the support of 59% of voting members, making it official APA policy,
although the APA still has yet to indicate whether and how it has been implemented.
Text of Referendum
APA Press Release on Passing of Referendum
PEAPA Press Release on Passing of Referendum
Report of the APA Presidential Advisory Group on the Implementation of the Petition Resolution
APA.org Page with Documents and Links Pertaining to the Referendum
At the 2007 APA Convention in San Francisco, APA officials squashed members' attempts to pass an
interrogation moratorium, issuing in its place a more softly-worded anti-torture statement, containing
loopholes and no teeth. As a result, activist psychologists mobilized, and took the issue directly to
APA members with a petition. The petition eventually gathered support from over 1% of all APA
members, which was sufficient within APA Bylaws to bring the interrogation moratorium (referred to
variously as the "Referendum" or the "Petition Resolution") to a direct member vote. The
Referendum passed with the support of 59% of voting members, making it official APA policy,
although the APA still has yet to indicate whether and how it has been implemented.
Text of Referendum
APA Press Release on Passing of Referendum
PEAPA Press Release on Passing of Referendum
Report of the APA Presidential Advisory Group on the Implementation of the Petition Resolution
APA.org Page with Documents and Links Pertaining to the Referendum
The "Torture Memos" and Major Reports on Torture and Interrogations
"Torture Memos"
Senate Armed Services Committee Report
International Committee of the Red Cross Report
2004 CIA Inspector General's Report
"Torture Memos"
Senate Armed Services Committee Report
International Committee of the Red Cross Report
2004 CIA Inspector General's Report
"Psychological Torture" Manuals
These are original copies of CIA "torture manuals." The infamous KUBARK manual dates from
the early Cold War period, and is the first written manual to codify the CIA's psychological
torture techniques, which, by that point, it had been developing for some years with research
assistance from psychologists, psychiatrists, and other professionals. The second manual, the
"Human Resources Exploitation Training Manual," was used during the CIA's proxy wars in
Central and South America in the 1980's, wars which were marked by the widespread use of
these same psychological torture techniques. The final manual, "Educing Information," is a
21st-century update of the same techniques, framing them within a seemingly more benign and
scientific discourse. It is intended to form the theoretical basis of the Obama Administration's
renewed interrogation efforts, which are being developed by the "High-Value Detainee
Interrogation Group" (HIG).
CIA's "KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation" (1963):
(PDF in 3 parts)
KUBARK 1
KUBARK 2
KUBARK 3
CIA's "Human Resources Exploitation Training Manual" (1983):
(PDF in 2 parts)
HRETM 1
HRETM 2
Intelligence Science Board's "Educing Information" (2006):
(PDF)
Educing Information
These are original copies of CIA "torture manuals." The infamous KUBARK manual dates from
the early Cold War period, and is the first written manual to codify the CIA's psychological
torture techniques, which, by that point, it had been developing for some years with research
assistance from psychologists, psychiatrists, and other professionals. The second manual, the
"Human Resources Exploitation Training Manual," was used during the CIA's proxy wars in
Central and South America in the 1980's, wars which were marked by the widespread use of
these same psychological torture techniques. The final manual, "Educing Information," is a
21st-century update of the same techniques, framing them within a seemingly more benign and
scientific discourse. It is intended to form the theoretical basis of the Obama Administration's
renewed interrogation efforts, which are being developed by the "High-Value Detainee
Interrogation Group" (HIG).
CIA's "KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation" (1963):
(PDF in 3 parts)
KUBARK 1
KUBARK 2
KUBARK 3
CIA's "Human Resources Exploitation Training Manual" (1983):
(PDF in 2 parts)
HRETM 1
HRETM 2
Intelligence Science Board's "Educing Information" (2006):
(PDF)
Educing Information
APA's Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security
With the recent publication of the previously-secret PENS listserv correspondence (below), the
PENS Task Force has been increasingly (and rightly) seen as playing a central role in the
APA-DoD-CIA rubber-stamping of psychological torture at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram Air
Base, and the Black Sites.
PENS Task Force Report
Bios of PENS Task Force members
PENS Listserv Correspondence
With the recent publication of the previously-secret PENS listserv correspondence (below), the
PENS Task Force has been increasingly (and rightly) seen as playing a central role in the
APA-DoD-CIA rubber-stamping of psychological torture at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram Air
Base, and the Black Sites.
PENS Task Force Report
Bios of PENS Task Force members
PENS Listserv Correspondence