Witness to Abuse
Human Rights Abuses
under the Material Witness Law since September 11
A report by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union
Summary
Recommendations
I. The Material Witness Law: Overview
and Pre-September 11 Use
II. Post-September 11 Material
Witness Detention Policy
III. Misuse of the Material Witness
Law to Hold Suspects as Witnesses
IV. High Security Arrests and
Incarceration
V. Bypassing Judicial Review
VI. Failure of Safeguards for
Material Witnesses
VII. Abusive Interrogations
VIII. Secret Proceedings
IX. Every Witness a Flight Risk
X. Haste, Incompetence, Prejudice:
The Arrest of Witnesses Who Have No Information
XI. Consequences of Arrest for
Material Witness Detainees and their Families
Acknowledgements
June 2005 Vol. 17, No. 2(G)
