Table of Contents
Is torture ever justifiable?
The answer in international law is categorical: no. As laid down in treaties such as the Geneva Conventions, the UN Convention against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the ban on torture or any cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is absolute, even in times of war.
Is torture ever morally acceptable?
On a battlefield, there is a fundamental rule, both morally and legally, that one cannot harm those who are defenceless. However, torture necessitates the defencelessness of its victim and as such, it cannot be considered under the same moral and normative guidelines.
Why is torture a moral issue?
Torture has once again become a timely topic. Torture is morally unjustified, therefore, because it “dehumanizes people by treating them as pawns to be manipulated through their pain” (xii). This perspective is reflected in the absolute moral imperatives laid out in various international conventions.
Why is right to freedom from torture important?
States have a duty to carry out prompt investigations into allegations of ill-treatment. Freedom from torture also prevents the admission of evidence in court which is known or suspected to be obtained by torture.
What is waterboarding slang for?
waterboarding, also called water torture, simulated drowning, interrupted drowning, and controlled drowning, method of torture in which water is poured into the nose and mouth of a victim who lies on his back on an inclined platform, with his feet above his head.
What is dry waterboarding?
Unlike waterboarding, where water is poured on a wet cloth placed over a supine subject’s airways, so their breathing slowly fills their lungs with water, dryboarding induces asphyxiation through stuffing the subject’s airways with rags, then taping shut their mouth and nose. …
How does torture affect human rights?
Torture and other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment violate human dignity and are absolutely prohibited at all times and under all circumstances. Torture breaks people’s bodies and minds, rips apart communities, and destroys democratic institutions and the rule of law.