The hearing in the case of US v Abu Zubaydah begins today, 6 October, in the US Supreme Court. The Court will decide whether the US government can block torture victim Abu Zubaydah and foreign prosecutors from subpoenaing information in relation to the CIA torture programme, on state secrecy grounds. The case arose in the context of a Polish investigation into CIA secret detention on its soil which was ordered by the European Crt of Human Rights in the Abu Zubaydah v Poland case (2014). In this context, evidence was sought from psychologist CIA contractors (James E Mitchell and Bruce Jessen). However, despite the notoriety of the CIA led programme, and evidence having already been given in the public domain, the government claims a blanket and overreaching approach to secrecy and national security to shield information in relation to CIA torture and unlawful detention. At stake are the rights of victims and society, as well as the ability of foreign investigators to do their job unhindered by USG intervention, and the credibility of the US administration’s commitment to human rights and rule of law. A statement on the background to the case and the search for justice for Abu Zubaydah is here.