Jon Robi C.

Ramilo EAPP
11-HUMSS (Humility) Position
Paper
Usage of Torture in Wars
According to the United Nations, torture is any act in which a person is purposefully
subjected to severe pain or suffering, whether it be physical or mental. These are often used for
acquiring information, punishing someone for an act they are suspected of doing, threatening or
coercing someone, or for any other discriminatory motive. I condemn this issue and it must be
stopped because it leaves victims in extreme pain and suffering that lasts for a long time after the
acts of torture have ended.
Torture harms people, damages the justice system, deteriorate the rule of law, and
reduces public confidence in public institutions and the state they represent. Torture done during
wartime is regarded as a crime against humanity. Many nations continue to practice torture even
though it is illegal and unlawful on a global scale. In fact, many nations continue to violate
international law by using various forms of torture because they have failed to make torture and
other cruel treatment illegal under their domestic laws. There are three reasons why torture is
always wrong. Because the information obtained through torture is often unreliable, torture is a
poor method of punishment. Usually, torture victims are forced to say or confess anything
merely to put an end to the terrible experience by applying physical, mental, and psychological
pressure. Torture is also prohibited by international law and most national and domestic laws;
thus, it cannot be justified. Furthermore, torture is morally wrong because it dehumanizes its
victims and destroys their freedom. Due to prominent cases of torture around the world, it has
become a popular misconception that put simply, torture is only connected to problems with
counterterrorism and national security. However, torture can occur to anyone, according to data
done by Amnesty International.
When someone acts on behalf of the government and causes another person great pain or
suffering for a particular reason, that is considered torture. Authorities have been known to
torture people to force them to confess to a crime or provide information. Sometimes torture only
serves as a form of punishment that provokes terror in society. Amnesty International in
particular has taken action to raise awareness about people’s rights and assure that governments
that torture persons cannot get away with it. We must push for implementation of policies that
would protect people from torture and hold those involved accountable to address this societal
problem. Lastly, we must strive to bring torture victims justice.

References
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. “Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.” United Nations, 10 Dec. 1984,
https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-against-
torture-and-other-cruel-inhuman-or-degrading.
Hasanagic, Ada. “5 Reasons Why Torture Does Not Work and Can Never Be Justified.” Human
Rights Careers, 16 Feb. 2020, https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/reasons-why-
torture-does-not-work/.
Amnesty. “Torture.” Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/torture/.
Accessed 2023.