Why were Central Intelligence Agency black sites officially closed in 2009?

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) "black sites"—a network of secret detention facilities located outside the United States—were officially closed in 2009 following an executive order signed by President Barack Obama shortly after he took office.12

This action was part of a broader shift in U.S. policy regarding the treatment of terrorism suspects. The black sites had been established to hold and interrogate detainees using "enhanced interrogation techniques," such as waterboarding, which were widely criticized as torture and violations of international law and human rights. By issuing this order, the administration sought to reaffirm the prohibition of torture and move away from the extrajudicial practices that had characterized the previous administration's counterterrorism efforts. Additionally, the order established a task force to review and determine future options for the detention of terrorism suspects.123