ACLU appeals order allowing censorship of torture testimony during Guantanamo military commissionMadison Ruppert The trial at issue here has been plagued by problems including the accusations of intentional censorship when the audio feed was cut and accusations from the defense alleging that the U.S. government is spying on them and violating attorney-client confidentiality. The ACLU filed the petition (PDF) asserting the publics First Amendment right to open trials which they claim has been violated by the protective order issued by Military Judge Col. James Pohl in December. While the petition was filed late February 21, 2013, it was only made public this afternoon after undergoing a security review by the government, according to the ACLUs press release. Pohls order also legitimized the continued use of a 40-second delay on the audio feed of the proceedings, further allowing for censorship of the trial. The judges decision to keep testimony about torture secret did not even mention the American publics First Amendment right of access to the Guantnamo commissions, let alone apply the high standard that must be met before testimony is suppressed, said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLUs National Security Project. The governments claim that it can classify and censor from the public a criminal defendants personal experience and memories of CIA-imposed torture is legally untenable and morally abhorrent, Shamsi continued. Even if the government somehow had that Orwellian classification authority, copious details about the CIAs torture and black-site detention program are already public knowledge, and the government has no legitimate reason to censor the defendants testimony about their own memories of it, Shamsi said. The governments request last year to classify the testimony touching on torture and other experiences claimed that any statements made by the defendants about their exposure to the CIA detention and interrogation program can be withheld from the public because they are classified as sources, methods and activities of the U.S. The ACLU has challenged other aspects of the governments handling of this trial. In May of last year, the ACLU filed a motion asking the commission to deny the governments request and to bar a delayed audio feed of the proceedings, or, in the alternative, promptly release an uncensored transcript. While a group of 14 major press organizations also filed a motion (PDF) supporting the medias First Amendment right to access the proceedings of the commission. That motion was denied by the judge as well, and they have also challenged the protective order, according to the ACLU. The government must now respond to both cases by March 6. Please support our work and help us start to pay contributors by doing your shopping through our Amazon link or check out some must-have products at our store. This article first appeared at End the Lie. Madison Ruppert is the Editor and Owner-Operator of the alternative news and analysis databaseEnd The Lie and has no affiliation with any NGO, political party, economic school, or other organization/cause. He is available for podcast and radio interviews. Madison also now has his own radio show on UCYTV Monday nights 7 PM 9 PM PT/10 PM 12 AM ET. Show page link here: http://UCY.TV/EndtheLie. If you have questions, comments, or corrections feel free to contact him at admin@EndtheLie.com linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 