31 former Ambassadors — including 20 who served in Republican administrations — have warned lawmakers not to eliminate habeas corpus for prisoners. They said such a move would make a mockery of the administration’s efforts to promote democracy. Meanwhile Human Rights Watch is urging Congress to reject the entire bill. The group warned that the legislation will undermine the rule of law by denying the fundamental right of habeas corpus to detainees held abroad, by defining “unlawful enemy combatants” in a broad manner, and by limiting protections against detainee mistreatment. Human Rights Watch said the most troubling part of the bill is its “court-stripping” provision, which would bar detainees in U.S. custody anywhere around the world from challenging the legality of their detention via habeas corpus actions.