On Jan. 22, 2009, President Obama signed a detailed executive order on torture and extreme rendition.

The order said that prisoners "shall in all circumstances be treated humanely and shall not be subjected to violence to life and person (including murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture), nor to outrages upon personal dignity (including humiliating and degrading treatment)." It also specifically nullifies interpretations of federal law on interrogations "issued by the Department of Justice between September 11, 2001, and January 20, 2009."

The order also creates a task force to study whether the procedures in the Army Field Manual are sufficient to protect the country and make recommendations on "additional or different guidance for other departments or agencies."

The task force will also study and evaluate the transfer of prisoners to other nations, a process known as "extreme rendition." The task force is given six months to finish its work, with a possibility of extension.

The order, worth reading in its entirety, also says the CIA shall not operate detention centers and should close "as expeditiously as possible" any centers it now operates. The International Committee of the Red Cross, an independent monitoring organization, should also be given timely access to prisoners, the order states.

Obama has taken the first step toward fulfilling this promise, but there are still many details to be worked out, such as closing CIA detention centers and ending extreme rendition. So for now, we're moving this one to In the Works.