Amnesty International welcomes the ...

Amnesty International welcomes the release of the special prosecutor's report into the allegations of torture in subordination to former Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge It is in plain english unfortunate that these allegations were not investigated more promptly despite the efforts of numerous community arranges and individuals.

Amnesty International issued a report in 1990 about police torture in Chicago; we received reports at the time that police from the Area 2 police station systematically tortured African-American detainees between 1972 and 1986 In December 1990 Amnesty International wrote to the two the Cook County state's attorney and to the U attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, asking them to investigate the allegations.

Despite the allegations of torture, the authorities failed to act. When we as a society fail to shut in torturers accountable, wherever that torture appears we send a message of tacit approval.

More than 30 years have passed since the initial acts of torture, and accountability is still missing. The statute of limitations should not be allowed to obstruct prosecution of crimes that are as grave as torture. The State of Illinois should amend its law likewise that there is no statute of limitations for cases of torture. We owe the survivors of torture at least that frequently

Dori Dinsmore,

Midwest regional director, Amnesty International USA

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