Torture in the early years of the 21st Century, including reports of Beatings & Kicks / Contortion and excessive twisting of limbs / Being forced to remain in a painful position / Hanging / Electric shocks / Forced feeding / Burning and scalding / Hunger, thirst, sleep deprivation / Sexual violence / Isolation / Stabbings and lacerations / Psychiatric abuse / Suffocation / Abuse with animals

 

 

 

Torture by Authorities, including Forced

Disappearances & Other Ill Treatment

In the early years of the 21st Century

The ordeal of victims of torture endures even when the torture itself has ended. Victims experience many forms of long-term physical and psychological damage as a result of torture and ill treatment. In this regard, I am encouraged by the heroic efforts of various organizations whose work ensures that there are appropriate remedies and reparation for victims. The work of such organizations seeks to include and promote the perspectives of victims and survivors in the development of programmes and policies aimed at addressing torture. This is a goal that I wholeheartedly support and will pursue during my tenure.

 [Mr. Juan E Méndez, Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 16th session of the Human Rights Council, Agenda Item 3, Geneva, 7 March 2010 ]

 

 

 

A

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Angola

Antigua & -Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

B

The Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bolivia

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Britain

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burma

Burundi

C

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Central African Rep

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Congo (DRC)

Congo (ROC)

Costa Rica

Cote D' Ivoire

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

D

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominican Republic

E

East Timor

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Eswatini

Ethiopia

F

Fiji

Finland

France

G

Gabon

The Gambia

Germany

Georgia

Ghana

Greece

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

H

Haiti

Honduras

Hong Kong

Hungary

I

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Ivory Coast

J

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

K

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Korea, North

Korea, South

Kosovo

Kuwait

Kyrgyz Republic

L

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Lithuania

Luxembourg

M

Macau

Macedonia

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Moldova

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

N

Namibia

Nepal

Netherlands

N.Antilles

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Norway

O – P

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Q - R

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

S

StVincent & -Grenadines

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovak Repub

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Sudan-South

Suriname

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

T

Tajikistan

Taiwan

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor Leste

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad & -Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

U

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom - UK

United States - USA

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

V

Venezuela

Vietnam

Y - Z

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

 

 

.

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

The cattle prod is another modern torture device – despite the torture of humans clearly not being its intended use. Before other electroshock weapons like tasers were widely in use, the cattle prod began to be used on people during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. -- caption by Michele Collet [www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-10-most-terrifying-torture-devices-20th-century?image=0]

 

9

The Tucker telephone was a torture device invented by a physician at the Tucker State Prison Farm in Arkansas in the 1960s. It incorporated an old-fashioned crank telephone wired to battery cells. A ground wire was wrapped around the big toe of a prisoner and the hot wire was wrapped around the genitals. The crank was then turned, inflicting a horrible electric shock on the victim. This could – and did – lead to cases of organ damage and insanity. – [adapted from a caption by Michele Collet, www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-10-most-terrifying-torture-devices-20th-century?image=0]

 

1

This method of torture is incredibly painful. The victim's arms are tied behind their back and then a rope is tied to their wrists and they are suspended in the air. This torture has been used in some form or other throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, often incorporating electric shocks (as this image shows) to add extra pain. Such shocks aside, suspending someone this way can and often does dislocate their shoulders. – [adapted from a caption by Michele Collet, www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-10-most-terrifying-torture-devices-20th-century?image=0]

 

 

All material used herein reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107 for noncommercial, nonprofit, and educational use  CITE AS:  Patt, Prof. Martin, "Torture by Police, Forced Disappearance & other Ill Treatment in the early years of the 21st Century", http://gvnet.com/torture/, [accessed <date>]

 

Website created by Prof. Martin Patt, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts.