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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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CIA director defended congressional interrogation information
May 15, 2012
On May 15, 2009, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Leon Panetta defended information the CIA provided to the US Congress on the use of interrogation techniques during the Bush administration. Panett'a comments came in response to allegations by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who....... [more]
Speaker Pelosi claimed CIA misled Congress on interrogation techniques
May 14, 2012
On May 14, 2009, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi claimed that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) misled the US Congress about the use of enhanced interrogation techniques under the Bush administration by explicitly stating that they were not utilizing the controversial technique known as waterb....... [more]
Federal appeals court revives lawsuits against Abu Ghraib contractors
May 13, 2012
A 14-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled 12-2 Friday that the earlier dismissal of lawsuits against two Abu Ghraib contractors on the grounds that they have immunity as government contractors was premature. The court sent the cases against CACI International Inc. an....... [more]
Accused bomber sued Poland over secret CIA prison
May 10, 2012
On May 10, 2011, lawyers for the accused USS Cole bomber, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, have filed suit against Poland in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over their client's alleged torture at a secret CIA prison located in the country. An investigation by the Polish government into the existen....... [more]
South Africa court orders probe into Zimbabwe rights violations
May 8, 2012
A South African court on Tuesday ordered an investigation into allegations of human rights violations committed under Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. The allegations include torture and other crimes committed in Zimbabwe prior to the 2008 elections, and the investigation will address complaints....... [more]
Bush administration lawyer granted qualified immunity in torture lawsuit
May 3, 2012
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Wednesday granted qualified immunity to former Bush administration official John Yoo over allegations of wrongdoing in relation to controversial memos asserting the legality of enhanced interrogation techniques. The lawsuit, brought by convicted terr....... [more]
Kosovo politican acquitted on war crimes charges
May 2, 2012
Kosovo politician and parliamentarian Fatmir Limaj was acquitted Wednesday on charges of war crimes allegedly committed during the 1998-99 Kosovo war with Serbia. Limaj allegedly ordered the torture and killings of Serbian detainees in 1999. He and three co-defendants were tried and acquitted befor....... [more]
Cambodia genocide court denied bail for Khmer Rouge officials
April 30, 2012
On April 30, 2010, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) dismissed appeals by three former Khmer Rouge officials to block the extension of their provisional detention. The three prisoners, Ieng Thirith, Ien Sary, and Khieu Samphan, were indicted on charges of genocide, war crime....... [more]
UN investigator called for prosecution of CIA 'torture memo' authors
April 24, 2012
On April 24, 2009, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak called for the prosecution of US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers who drafted four memos which outlined the legal rationale for controversial interrogation techniques used against terrorism suspects by the Central Intelligence Agen....... [more]
Nepal urged not to impose blanket amnesty for crimes committed during civil war
April 23, 2012
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on Monday urged Nepal to reject blanket amnesty plans for international crimes committed during the country's civil war, which ended in 2006. A representative for ICJ said amnesty for human rights abuses, such as torture, rap....... [more]
Bosnian Muslims on trial for war crimes against Serbs
April 20, 2012
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday began the trial of eight Bosnian Muslims charged with abuse and torture of Serbian prisoners during the Bosnian Civil War. The prosecution claims that Serbian civilians were unlawfully detained and subjected to inhumane treatment while being held in t....... [more]
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