Whistleblower John Kiriakou trashes Obama's appointee for CIA director. (VIDEO)

Former Central Intelligence Agency officer John Kiriakou has been sentenced to 30 months behind bars for his role in blowing the whistle on the torture techniques imposed on detainees by the US government.

On Thursday, dozens of human rights activist, journalists and friends congregated at a send-off banquet in Washington, DC one week before Kiriakou is expected to begin his sentence.

RT Producer Rachel Kurzius joins us and explains what went down at the "Orange Ball" and what Kiriakou and his colleagues had to say about the war on whistleblowers and the current administration.