On October 13, 2011 former CJA Executive Director Pamela Merchant gave testimony on recommendations for U.S. human rights policy and legislative reforms. Along with many other recommendations, CJA urged Congress, whenever possible, to prosecute human rights abusers for human rights crimes, rather than for secondary immigration violations.
On October 6th, 2009 former CJA Executive Director Pamela Merchant gave follow up testimony on recommendations for U.S. human rights policy. CJA urged Congress to press for the indictment on human rights charges of 17 Colombian paramilitary leaders currently indicted for drug trafficking, and suggested new legislation to codify crimes against humanity and extrajudicial killing as crimes under U.S. law.
From Nuremberg to Darfur: Accountability for Crimes Against Humanity, June 24, 2008
In 2008, former CJA Executive Director Pamela Merchant presented Senate testimony on the gaps in the current criminal human rights statutory framework and the importance of enacting crimes against humanity legislation for survivor communities and for future prosecution of perpetrators.
No Safe Haven: Follow up by Senator Durbin and Senator Coburn’s to DOJ and DHS, March 7, 2008
“When do you expect to conclude your review of the circumstances of the presence of the two generals in the United States?”
No Safe Haven: Senator Durbin and Senator Coburn’s Letter to DOJ and DHS, November 20, 2007
“During the Subcommittee’s November 14th hearing, we were very troubled to learn that despite this final judgment holding Generals Garcia and Vides Casanova responsible for Dr. Romagoza’s torture, these two war criminals continue to live openly and freely in Florida.”
No Safe Haven: Accountability for Human Rights Abusers in the U.S., Testimony of Dr. Juan Romagoza, November 14, 2007
In 2007, CJA client Dr. Juan Romagoza Arce, from Romagoza Arce v. Garcia, provided powerful Senate testimony about his detention and torture for 22 days at the National Guard headquarters in El Salvador in 1980.
No Safe Haven, Part I: Testimony of CJA Executive Director Pamela Merchant, November 14, 2007
In 2007, former CJA Executive Director Pamela Merchant testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law. The hearing, “No Safe Haven: Accountability for Human Rights Violators in the U.S.”, examined what could be done on the level of policy, legislation and enforcement to hold human rights abusers who have settled in the U.S. accountable.
