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Torture is the infliction of severe physical or psychological pain or grief as an expression of cruelty, a means of intimidation, deterrent, revenge or punishment, or as a tool for the extraction of information or confessions. Torture is almost universally considered to be an extreme violation of human rights, as stated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Signatories of the Third Geneva Convention and Fourth Geneva Convention agree not to torture protected persons (enemy civilians and POWs) in armed conflicts, and signatories of the UN Convention Against Torture agree not to intentionally inflict severe pain or suffering on anyone, to obtain information or a confession, to punish them, or to coerce them or a third person...[ Wikipedia ]
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Canada security service authorized to use information obtained through torture
February 8, 2012
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is authorized to use and pass on information obtained through torture when Canadian lives are at stake, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said Tuesday. The statements come in response to a controversial 2010 directive authorizing the use of such infor....... [more]
ECCC Must Prosecute Those Responsible for Torture
January 31, 2012
JURIST Guest Columnist Christopher Hale, Senior Counsel at the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights, argues that the Convention Against Torture should not be used as a tool to protect those accused of torture and that the ECCC must prosecute those responsible for torture in Cambodia...Ev....... [more]
HRW urges India to prosecute border soldiers for torture
January 31, 2012
Human Rights Watch on Monday urged the Indian government to prosecute Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers that it has long implicated in torture and extrajudicial killings near the Bangladesh border. HRW's plea comes in response to the release of a YouTube video capturing BSF soldiers stripping, ty....... [more]
Iran chief judge limited public executions
January 30, 2012
On January 30, 2008, Iran's chief judge issued a ban against all public executions not specially permitted by the head of the judiciary. Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi also banned the publication of pictures and videos of executions and ordered state prosecutors to enforce the bans. Shahroudi....... [more]
Libya to take control of makeshift prisons
January 29, 2012
In response to international criticism the Libya Ministry of Justice announced on Sunday that it will be commandeering "makeshift prisons" around the country to prevent further prisoner torture. Deputy Minister Khalifa Ashour acknowledged that primarily loyalists to former dictator Muammar Gaddafi h....... [more]
Libya torture causing prisoner deaths: AI
January 27, 2012
Amnesty International (AI) Thursday reported the recent deaths of several Libyan detainees who were apparently tortured while in custody. The deaths come amid allegations of widespread torture and ill-treatment of detainees accused of being pro-Gaddafi loyalists and fighters during the Libyan confl....... [more]
UN rights chief concerned over Libya torture allegations
January 26, 2012
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay addressed the UN Security Council Wednesday, expressing concern over alleged current human rights violations in Libya. Pillay first noted that the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) has expressed their commitment to human rights and has taken....... [more]
UK panel will not complete investigation into torture allegations
January 18, 2012
The chairman of the UKDetainee Inquiry said Wednesday that his panel will not complete their investigation into torture allegations against British intelligence agents. In his statement, Judge Peter Gibson said that the Secretary of State for Justice chose to conclude the investigation "in view of f....... [more]
France judge requests access to Guantanamo to probe torture allegations
January 17, 2012
A French judge has requested access to information from Guantanamo Bay in order to investigate allegations of torture being made by three French citizens. Judge Sophie Clement requested access to documents, as well as access to individuals who had contact with the men during their arrest and detenti....... [more]
ECHR ruled publishers' convictions violated freedom of expression
January 15, 2012
On January 15, 2009, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favor of French publishers Olivier Orban and Xavier de Bartillat who were convicted in 2002 of defending war crimes. The book which led to their initial conviction, Services Spéciaux Algérie 1955-1957, described torture and su....... [more]
UK intelligence agents will not face trial for alleged torture involvement
January 13, 2012
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in the UK said Thursday that there was not enough evidence to try British intelligence agents for alleged complicity in the torture of two detainees. Both cases involve individuals detained by the US with the knowled....... [more]
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