Torture

The UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment defines torture as:

"...any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions." ¹

Torture is widely practised in many countries throughout the world as a means of intimidating the ruling regime's opponents. Since 1997, incidences of torture or ill treatment by the police have been reported in over 140 different countries. ² By far most commonly reported method of torture is physical beatings - other commonly reported methods include: ³

• Rape and sexual abuse in custody

• Mock execution or threat of death

• Prolonged solitary confinement

• Electric shocks

• Suspension of the body

• Suffocation

The US has been accused of using torture as an interrogation method at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and other places around the world where Americans are suspected of holding terrorist suspects. ^{4 5 6}

References

1. Article 1, http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureDefinition

2. http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureContext

3. http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureMethods

4. http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,,1981955,00.html

5. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=377623&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

6. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3706050.stm