New Database on Torture

As part of the commemoration of the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’s 25^th anniversary, the American Civil Liberties Union has launched a new database of over 100,000 documents from the Bush era, and forward, relating to “rendition, detention, and interrogation policies and practices.”  The Torture Database can be searched in a number of ways. One can search by the Year (2001 – 2012), by the Authoring Agency (Executive Branch, Department of Defenses, Department of Justice, etc.), by the name of officials mentioned (Colin L. Powell, JoAnn J. Dolan, etc.), by the name of the detainee mentioned (Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Jose Padilla, etc.), by the method of torture used, and the type of document (email, interview, memo, etc.) There is also a free search box into which you can enter search terms of your choice (water boarding, etc.) A detailed explanation of the search methods available can be found here. The materials were obtained largely through Freedom of Information Requests (FOIAs).

Some library materials that may be of interest to those interested in the subject include these reports from Human Rights Watch:

• Getting away with torture : the Bush Administration and mistreatment of detainees, K3239 .H85 G v.23

• We can torture, kill, or keep you for years" : enforced disappearances by Pakistan security forces, K3239 .H85 C v.23 pt.2;

• Torture redux : the revival of physical coercion during interrogations in Bahrain, K3239 .H85 E v.22 pt.1; and, Ignoring executions and torture : impunity for Bangladesh's security forces, K3239 .H85 C v.21 v.21 pt.2 .

And, for those interested in learning more about the Convention Against Torture, this Commentary, written by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, will be of interest: The United Nations Convention against Torture : a commentary. And a search in the Westminster Law Library catalog on the Subject, Torture (International Law) will take one to 23 items on the general subject.

Written by Joan Policastri, Foreign, Comparative  and International Law Librarian