President Obama issued Executive Order 13491 - "Ensuring Lawful Interrogations, rescinding the ill-advised policies permitting and promoting the use of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees in U.S. custody.
The order instructs U.S. agencies to "promote the safe, lawful, and humane treatment of individuals" in U.S. custody and "to ensure compliance with the treaty obligations of the United States, including the Geneva Conventions, and to take care that the laws of the United States are faithfully executed."
Federal law does not address the issue of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, therefore there are no penalties attached when such violations occur. The Administration should propose legislation to make such offenses illegal and punishable under federal statue.