27/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 20 July, US President George W. Bush signed an executive order, barring the CIA from using certain practices within the framework of his secret detention programme. The first part of the order states that the CIA, which operates under more vague rules than those of the armed forces, must abide by Article 3 of the Geneva Convention. This bans “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”. Specifically mentioned in the order are murder, torture, mutilation and humiliating and degrading treatment. The White House, which says that torture is not practised, refused to reveal the “classified” section of the order, which sets out what practices are allowed. Human rights groups have noted that “waterboarding” (holding a detainee's head under water), sleep deprivation and many other practices did not appear in the public section of the order. (bc)