Interrogational Torture

Schiemann, John W.

doi:10.1177/1065912911430670

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Reyes (2007) avers that, during interrogations, methods of torture are used specifically to soften up and break detainees' resistance which will induce them 'to talk'. Like many other scholars such as Bagaric and Clarke (2007), Schiemann (2012), andParry (2003), the IPID investigating officers also argued that, without the use of torture, the investigation process becomes futile. It is for this reason that the use of torture is appraised as a potent and efficacious tool in gaining suspect compliance during an investigation.…”

Section: Acquiring Suspect Compliancementioning

confidence: 86%

“…It is thus unsurprising that torture functions "...as an information-gathering device" (Clemens and Grigg 2006) and that it prevails as a perceived efficacious modus operandi to extract information. Recent studies have argued that there is a correlation between torture and the truth (Hajjar 2000;Parry 2003;Schiemann 2012). This notion prompted some of the participants to justify the prevalence of torture although it is outlawed with arguments such as: "You will never, never ever solve your cases if you don't turn on a little bit of heat on the suspect."…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This notion prompted some of the participants to justify the prevalence of torture although it is outlawed with arguments such as: "You will never, never ever solve your cases if you don't turn on a little bit of heat on the suspect." Similarly, scholars such as Bagaric and Clarke (2007:35) believe that "torture should be confined to situations where the right to life is imperilled", while Schiemann (2012) proposes three justifications for torture: if a detainee is known to be guilty, if the detainee fails to provide valuable information via other methods, and in cases where innocent lives are threatened. However, section 4(4) of the Prevention and Combating of Torture of Persons Act No.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, various scholars still justify the use of torture. For instance, in Schiemann's (2012) view police violence should be a last resort, be infrequent, and be used only for suspects who are withholding information. However, because victims of torture are criminal suspects, somehow there is little sympathy, and in such cases the law may be quickly dismissed and overlooked and the torture may be severe.…”

Section: Justification For the Use Of Torture Worldwidementioning

confidence: 99%

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When Torture Mocks the Law: Understanding Police Brutality in South Africa

Hadebe

Gopal

2021

Int. J. Criminol. Sociol.

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South Africa promulgated the Prevention and Combating of Torture of Persons Act No. 13 of 2013, which criminalises the use of torture by law enforcers. The Act also criminalises cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment of citizens by law enforcers. However, the implementation of this law is derisory as the torture and physical abuse of civilians by the police reportedly continue unabated. This phenomenon seems part of police culture that is entrenched in South African policing practices. Prior to the study, the literature review underscored the unabated prevalence of police violence. Against this background, this article seeks to highlight specific incidences of police officers’ use of unconstitutional and abusive acts of torture involving civilians. Using a qualitative research approach, ten officers of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) were interviewed to generate the required data. Thematic analysis was used and the findings revealed that civilians suspected of criminal behaviour were often exposed to inhumane forms of torture, which ranged from food and water deprivation to being strangled, suffocated, and electrocuted. These forms of torture involving suspects were reportedly prompted by the urgency for eliciting information, ‘proving’ the presumption of guilt, proactively preventing crime in communities, and coercing suspect compliance. The findings thus urge the need for a blanket ban on the torture of suspects, the effective investigation by the IPID of cases of torture, and the successful trial and conviction of police perpetrators of this crime.

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Section: Acquiring Suspect Compliancementioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Justification For the Use Of Torture Worldwidementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

When Torture Mocks the Law: Understanding Police Brutality in South Africa

Hadebe

Gopal

2021

Int. J. Criminol. Sociol.

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“…John Schiemann (2012; has applied mathematical models linked to game theory to see which combinations of interactions between interrogator and detainee produce more effective results. He showed that what he calls the Bush model of interrogation can hardly be justifiable in terms of efficacy.…”

Section: S C I E N T I F I C a R T I C L Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Drawing the fine line between interrogation and torture: towards a Universal Protocol on Investigative Interviewing

Pérez–Sales¹

2017

Torture

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Interrogation is an essential component of a comprehensive view of torture and deserves special reflection. In interrogational torture, physical and psychological techniques serve the purpose of creating the physical, cognitive and emotional exhaustion in the detainee considered necessary for the successful questioning of a potential source of information. Interrogation can, at the same time, be conducted in a way that deepens the effect of torturing methods and environments when the interview is carried out in a way that fosters cognitive and emotional exhaustion, leading to breakdown (Pérez-Sales, 2016). Interrogations follow procedures and regulations, but in most countries there is a lack of transparency and information. Academia has only recently begun to do systematic research on interrogation and interviewing techniques (Walsh, Oxburgh, Redlich, & Myklebust, 2017; Intelligence Science Board, 2006; Meissner, 2012; Rassin & Israëls, 2014) to prove effects beyond personal opinions.

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False ‘Beneficence’: Physician Involvement in Executions and Torture

Norman

2021

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Medical ethics prohibit physicians from using their special skills to serve in nonhealth related, state‐sponsored activities such as capital punishment and torture, yet physician participation has historically always occurred and continues to occur. Common arguments for physician participation in judicial execution by lethal injection include assertions that ‘killing’ is already part of the practice of medicine (e.g. abortion, physician‐assisted suicide and euthanasia), and therefore historical prohibitions no longer apply; that physician participation in executions respects ‘autonomy’; and that participation in executions and torture promote beneficence – in the former by providing a ‘humane’ execution, and in the later by promoting social safety and security. Strong evidence shows that neither beneficence argument is true, and that physicians both promote harm to others, and sustain severe harm to themselves and the profession as a whole when they become complicit. Key Concepts Despite universal condemnation, many physicians remain willing to participate in capital punishment and torture on behalf of governments. Medical professionalism encompasses the conduct, qualities and aims that characterise a person engaged in the practice of medicine and includes the competent completion of tasks as well as the context in which they occur. The practice of medicine is not defined by the use of specific technical skills but must meet requirements of serving some medically beneficial purpose and based on treatments that are backed by theoretical, clinical and experimental evidence. Physician participation in executions is not limited to performing technical tasks in the execution but includes any and all activities that might facilitate judicial executions. Arguments that physician participation in executions mirrors activities such as abortion, physician‐assisted suicide and euthanasia, that are acceptable activities within the practice of medicine should be rejected, since such activities are neither morally nor medically analogous. Current evidence supports that lethal injection executions are not more humane for prisoners: they are fraught with complications, take much longer than other forms of execution and may subject the prisoner to extreme suffering while being unable to signal awareness to the executioners. Torture itself is universally condemned by international organisations, as is physician participation, yet torture continues globally and is facilitated by physicians all over the world. There is no credible evidence that torture is effective in providing meaningful information for safety and security, while there is significant evidence that it is ineffective, and furthermore reduces safety and security. The ‘ticking timebomb terrorist’ scenario, used by many to argue for torture in certain situations, contains unrealistic propositions and assumptions and is therefore not a valid instrument for judging the moral acceptability of torture. Physician participation in torture includes activities that prepare the prisoner for torture, activities that design methods of torture, activities that treat the prisoner to enable him or her to be returned to torturers for further torture, and falsification of death certificates and medical records to cover up torture.

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Interrogational Torture

Cited by 13 publications

References 12 publications

When Torture Mocks the Law: Understanding Police Brutality in South Africa

When Torture Mocks the Law: Understanding Police Brutality in South Africa

Drawing the fine line between interrogation and torture: towards a Universal Protocol on Investigative Interviewing

False ‘Beneficence’: Physician Involvement in Executions and Torture

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