UN Rights Chief Calls Torture During Interrogations 'counterproductive'

The torture and ill-treatment of persons suspected of crimes is not only "deeply wrong" but, from an interrogator's perspective

UNITED NATIONS,Sept 22 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Sep, 2017 ) : The torture and ill-treatment of persons suspected of crimes is not only "deeply wrong" but, from an interrogator's perspective, also counterproductive, the United Nations human rights chief said today at an event held in New York.

"Abundant scientific and historical evidence demonstrates that the information yielded by people who are being subjected to violence is unreliable," High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said at the event, entitled "Torture during Interrogations – Illegal, Immoral, and Ineffective." The torture of detainees, who are captive and cannot defend themselves, also creates enormous rage among their larger communities, he added.

"By feeding the desire for vengeance, torture produces more hatred and more violence." Today's event, organized by the High Commissioner’s Office (OHCHR) and held on the sidelines of the annual high-level segment of the General Assembly, sought to inform discussions among Member States about the development of standards and guidelines on investigative interviewing by police and other law enforcement agencies, with the aim of assisting States to meet their fundamental legal obligations to prevent torture and ill-treatment.

Among the participants in the event were the lead investigative interviewer in the Anders Behring Breivik case in Norway, and a former NCIS Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism from the United States.

The High Commissioner noted that people who are in police custody for a very broad range of reasons are frequently subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment. This is particularly true, he said, in the first hours and days after their arrest, when – although they should benefit from the presumption of innocence – suspects may have no access to legal assistance or independent medical examination, and have not been brought before a judge.

"Alarmingly, in the past, some States have resorted to using psychologists to design brutal interrogation methods such as waterboarding, forcing detainees into small containers, forcing them to hold painful positions for hours or slamming them into flexible walls," he stated.

"Furthermore, conditions for detainees are often so squalid and inadequate that they may amount to torture or other forms of ill-treatment under the terms of the Convention against Torture. This is true even in numerous developed countries."