SlideShare ist ein Scribd-Unternehmen logo
1 von 10
Downloaden Sie, um offline zu lesen
Medical Whistleblower
December 2008


                                                     Medical Whistleblower’s
Volume 3 Issue 12



                                                               Canary Notes

Inside this issue:



  Physical Torture        1
                                What is Torture?
  Psychological Torture   2

  Sleep Deprivation       3     What is Torture? This might seem to be a
                                simple question but the sliding slope of mis-
  Threats
                                treatment and abuse makes defining torture a
                                complex legal issue. Torture is defined by
  Rape and Sexual         4
  Abuse                         the United Nations Convention against Torture
                                and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treat-
  The World Medical       5-6
  Association                   ment or Punishment (UNCAT) June 1987.
                                Article 1 (1) in the following way:
  Countries who signed    7
  & ratified                    ―For the purposes of this Convention, the term
                                "torture" means any act by which severe pain
  Psychological Research 7      or suffering, whether physical or mental, is in-
  How do governments      8     tentionally inflicted on a person for such pur-
                                poses as obtaining from him or a third person
  Amnesty Interna-        8
  tional
                                information or a confession, punishing him for
                                an act he or a third person has committed or is
  Cruel and Degrading
                                suspected of having committed, or intimidating
  Disappearances          9     or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind,
  Human Subjects                when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or
                                acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity.‖
  Physicians for Human 10
  Rights                        The definition of Torture by the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition Inter-
                                national (TASSC) is as follows:
                                                                    Physical Torture

                                Physical Torture is any action or technique, or combination that would result in severe
                                physical pain when inflicted upon a human being. Severe physical pain means a level
“The clarity of what            of pain that a person would not voluntarily accept for himself or herself. Physical torture
you ought to do gives
                                includes but is not limited to the following:
   you courage.”
 – Wangari Maathai                   Electric shock                               Beatings
                                     Near asphyxiation                            Stress positions
                                     Rape or sexual abuse                         Dog attacks
                                     Burning
Page 2                         Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes                           Volume 3 Issue 12




Psychological Torture
Non-physical methods can be used to cause psychological suffering. The effects of psychological torture are
not immediately apparent unless they alter the behavior of the tortured person, so it is often overlooked or
denied. Physical torture is the inflicting of severe pain or suffering on a person. In contrast, psychological tor-
ture is directed at the psyche with calculated violations of psychological needs, along with deep damage to
psychological structures and the breakage of beliefs underpinning normal sanity. Torturers often inflict both
types of torture in combination to compound the associated effects. Torture can include extreme stressors,
rape, sexual abuse, mock execution, shunning, violation of deep-seated social or sexual norms and taboos,
and extended solitary confinement. Many torturers around the world use methods designed to have a maxi-
mum psychological impact, while leaving only minimal physical traces. For survivors, torture often leads to
lasting mental and physical health problems. It is important to remember that it is possible to induce severe
psychological pain, suffering, and trauma with no externally visible effects. Often torturers prefer methods
that, while unpleasant, leave victims alive and unmarked. A victim with no visible damage may lack credibility
when telling tales of torture. Mental torture, however can leave scars just as deep and long-lasting as physi-
cal torture. Torture can include electrical shock, asphyxiation, heat, cold, noise, and sleep deprivation (which
leaves little evidence), beatings, and can even involve horrific mutilation or death. The severe mental pain
and suffering of those who have been subjected to sexually humiliating acts can constitute cruel or inhuman
treatment and also be considered a psychological form of torture. The definition of Mental Torture by the
Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) is any action or technique, or any
combination thereof, which might result in severe mental trauma or harm when inflicted upon a human be-
ing. This includes but is not limited to the following:

    Death threat or threats of immediate and severe physical
pain
   Mock executions
   Rape or sexual abuse
   Extended disruption of food and sleep
   Extended solitary confinement
   Extended sensory deprivation
   Extended sensory disruption or overload
   Use of hallucinogenic or other mentally disruptive drugs
   Threats against family members
   Secret detention or "disappearances" of a loved one
   Forced observance, by hearing or watching, of the mental and/or physical torture or murder of another.
   Forcible participation in the mental or physical torture of others.
    Severe mental trauma or harm means a level of fear or trauma that a person would not voluntarily accept
for himself or herself, or which results in prolonged mental suffering afterwards.
Note: There are countless ways to inflict mental trauma or harm such as the use of psychotropic, mind-
    altering, or other drugs for the purpose of decreasing resistance or gaining information or the exploitation
    of phobias, psychopathology, or physical vulnerability . Some methods may appear innocuous, but are in
    fact devastating.
Page 3                               Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes                    Volume 3 Issue 12



Disruption of Sleep and Meals:

Sleep Deprivation and withholding food and water con-
stitutes, at a minimum, cruel and degrading treat-
ment. Depending on the age and health of the prisoner,
the duration of the disruption, and the other techniques
being used in this combination, in most cases this will
also constitute mental and/or physical torture. US Fed-
eral courts have repeatedly found sleep deprivation to
violate both the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
The Supreme Court has held that a confession obtained
by depriving a prisoner of sleep for thirty-six hours vio-
lated the individual’s right to due process. See Ashcraft
v. Tennessee, 322 U.S. 143, 154 (1944); see also Ashcraft v. Tennessee, 327 U.S. 274 (1946); see generally
United States ex rel. Wade v. Jackson, 256 F.2d 7 (2d Cir. 1958) (depriving arrestee of sleep for twenty-two
hours contributed to violations of due process rights).



Threats:
                                                                                    Universal Declaration of Human
The international courts have agreed that threats, including threats to a third                  Rights
person, are prohibited conduct constituting cruel or inhuman treatment.                         Article 1-
[ Campbell v. United Kingdom — 4 Eur. Ct. H.R. 293 (ser. A) ¶ 26(Feb. 25            “All human beings are born free
1982), available at http://www.worldlii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/1982/1.html] and in
                                                                                     and equal in dignity and rights.
some cases part of a pattern of mental abuse and torture. [Urrutia v. Guate-
                                                                                     They are endowed with reason
mala, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R., (Ser. C) No. 103, ¶¶ 93-94] The European Court of
                                                                                     and conscience and should act
Human Rights found that threats can trigger ―long-term symptoms of anxiety
                                                                                   towards one another in a spirit of
and insecurity, diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder and requiring
treatment by medication,‖ and can even be by themselves to constitute tor-                   brotherhood”
ture.‖ [Akkoç v. Turkey. App. nos. 22947/93 and 22948/93, 116-17 (Oct. 10,
2000)]. Under US law, threats of imminent death or severe physical pain or
suffering to the individual or others, are explicitly banned as forms of mental torture that can lead to long-term
harm under the Torture Act and are war crimes under the War Crimes Act (2003). When there are credible
verbal threats of the use of deadly force it can be considered to be cruel and unusual treatment that ―shocks
the conscience‖ in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. For instance, US Federal appeals
                                    courts have found that pointing a loaded weapon at a civilian without a legiti-
                                    mate law enforcement purpose violated the Fourteenth Amendment.
                                    [Hawkins v. Holloway, 316 F.3d 777, 787 (8th Cir. 2003)] (holding that
                                    ―threatening deadly force a as means of oppressing those employed in his
                                    department‖ elevated ―his conduct to the arbitrary and conscience shocking
                                    behavior prohibited by substantive due process‖); [Robinson v. Solano
                                    County, 278 F.3d 1007, 1014 (9th Cir. 2002)].
Page 4                          Medical Whistleblower’s Canary                                  Volume 3 Issue 12




                             Rape, Sexual Abuse and Humiliation:
          Article 5-        Rape, of course, will always constitute physical and mental torture. Religious, cultural,
                            and sexual humiliation including, but not limited to, forced nakedness and other sexual
 “No one shall be subjected abuse, such as unwanted touching, forced nudity, and forced masturbation is always,
    to torture or to cruel, at the very least, cruel and degrading. Sexual abuse and humiliation fall within the
                            definition of mental torture. In the legal case Raquel Martin Mejía v. Perú, Case
   inhuman or degrading
                            10.970, Report No. 5/96, Inter-Am. C.H.R. 157, OEA/ser.L/V/II.91, doc. 7 rev. (1996).
 treatment or punishment”
                            The court announced that rape constituted torture if it was: ―1) an intentional act
                            through which physical and mental pain and suffering is inflicted on a person; 2) com-
                            mitted with a purpose; and 3) committed by a public official or by a private person act-
                            ing at the instigation of the former.‖

                             Rape not only is an unspeakable infringement of human rights, but often leaves deep
                             and lasting psychological scars. The international human rights, criminal justice, and
                             humanitarian law communities, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), the ad
                             hoc international criminal tribunals, regional human rights courts, and the UN human
                             rights bodies, are uniform in their designation of rape as a violation of human rights
                             and a crime. Perhaps most significantly, the International Criminal Court statute con-
                             siders rape, including sexual violence, a war crime and, if used systematically against
                             a civilian population, a crime against humanity. The ICC statute also establishes that
                             rape is a ―grave breach‖ of the Geneva Conventions and may constitute a crime
                             against humanity. Rape by a state agent will almost always be torture as well. The
                             Fourth Geneva Convention considers rape as an act of torture and a war crime. Both
                             the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
                             have characterized rape as inhumane treatment, and the Inter-American Court later
“I know what few U.S.        determined that rape is a form of torture and thus a violation of Article 5.2 of the
citizens know: what it is
                             American Convention on Human Rights. The European Court of Human Rights also
to be an innocent civil-
ian, and to be accused,      found that rape can constitute a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention,
interrogated, and tor-       which prohibits torture. The court found that ―rape of a detainee by an official of the
tured, to have my own
government eschew my         State must be considered to be an especially grave and abhorrent form of ill-treatment
claims for justice and       given the ease with which the offender can exploit the vulnerability and weakened re-
actively destroy my          sistance of his victim.‖ Aydin v. Turkey, 1997-VI Eur. H.R. Rep. 1866, ¶¶ 80-88 ¶
character because my
case causes political        83.(1997). Incidents of penetration with a foreign object clearly constitute rape under
problems for them. I         domestic law such as the War Crimes Act. Military Commissions Act of 2006, Pub. L.
know what it is to wait in
                             No. 109-366, 120 Stat. 2600 (amending 18 U.S.C.§ 2441) (2006). Sexually degrading
the dark for torture, and
what it is to wait in the    acts have historically been used in combination with other methods to break down a
dark for the truth. I am     detainee. Forced nakedness and sexual humiliation violate human dignity and can
still waiting.‖
                             lead to long-term psychological harm. Sexual humiliation and stripping a detainee of
Sister Diana Ortiz           his clothes adds to his sense of vulnerability and are ―intended to cause . . . feelings of
                             humiliation and inferiority.‖
Volume 3 Issue 12                  Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes                                 Page 5



The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo
The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo. Guidelines for Physicians Concerning Tor-
ture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Relation to Detention
and Imprisonment
Adopted by the 29th World Medical Assembly, Tokyo, Japan, October 1975,
and editorially revised at the 170th Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France,
 May 2005 and the 173rd Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2006
PREAMBLE
It is the privilege of the physician to practise medicine in the service of humanity, to preserve and
restore bodily and mental health without distinction as to persons, to comfort and to ease the
suffering of his or her patients. The utmost respect for human life is to be maintained even under
threat, and no use made of any medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity.
For the purpose of this Declaration, torture is defined as the deliberate, systematic or wanton
infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of
any authority, to force another person to yield information, to make a confession, or for any other
reason.
DECLARATION
1. The physician shall not countenance, condone or participate in the practice of torture or
other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures, whatever the offense of which the victim
of such procedures is suspected, accused or guilty, and whatever the victim's beliefs or motives,
and in all situations, including armed conflict and civil strife.

2. The physician shall not provide any premises, instruments, substances or knowledge to fa-
cilitate the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or to dimin-
ish the ability of the victim to resist such treatment.

3. When providing medical assistance to detainees or prisoners who are, or who could later be,
under interrogation, physicians should be particularly careful to ensure the confidentiality of all
personal medical information. A breach of the Geneva Conventions shall in any case be reported
by the physician to relevant authorities. The physician shall not use nor allow to be used, as far
as he or she can, medical knowledge or skills, or health information specific to individuals, to fa-
cilitate or otherwise aid any interrogation, legal or illegal, of those individuals.

4. The physician shall not be present during any procedure during which torture or any other
forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is used or threatened.

5. A physician must have complete clinical independence in deciding upon the care of a person
for whom he or she is medically responsible. The physician's fundamental role is to alleviate the
distress of his or her fellow human beings, and no motive, whether personal, collective or politi-
cal, shall prevail against this higher purpose.

6. Where a prisoner refuses nourishment and is considered by the physician as capable of
forming an unimpaired and rational judgment concerning the consequences of such a voluntary
refusal of nourishment, he or she shall not be fed artificially. The decision as to the capacity of
the prisoner to form such a judgment should be confirmed by at least one other independent
physician. The consequences of the refusal of nourishment shall be explained by the physician
to the prisoner.

7. The World Medical Association will support, and should encourage the international commu-
nity, the National Medical Associations and fellow physicians to support, the physician and his or
her family in the face of threats or reprisals resulting from a refusal to condone the use of torture
or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Page 6                         Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes                                  Volume 3 Issue 12




The World Medical Association Declaration,                                              Hamburg, Germany, 11/ 1997

 World Medical Association Declaration Concerning Support for Medical Doctors Refusing
to Participate in, or to Condone, the Use of Torture or Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment


PREAMBLE
1. On the basis of a number of international ethical declarations and guidelines subscribed to by the medical profession, medi-
cal doctors throughout the world are prohibited from countenancing, condoning or participating in the practice of torture or other
forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures for any reason.

2. Primary among these declarations are the World Medical Association's International Code of Medical Ethics, Declaration of
Geneva, Declaration of Tokyo, and Resolution on Physician Participation in Capital Punishment; the Standing Committee of
European Doctors' Statement of Madrid; the Nordic Resolution Concerning Physician Involvement in Capital Punishment; and,
the World Psychiatric Association's Declaration of Hawaii.

However, none of these declarations or statements addresses explicitly the issue of what protection should be extended to
medical doctors if they are pressured, called upon, or ordered to take part in torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrad-
ing treatment or punishment. Nor do these declarations or statements express explicit support for, or the obligation to protect,
doctors who encounter or become aware of such procedures.

RESOLUTION
4. The World Medical Association (WMA) hereby reiterates and reaffirms the responsibility of the organised medical profes-
sion:

i.   to encourage doctors to honour their commitment as physicians to serve humanity and to resist any pressure to act con-
trary to the ethical principles governing their dedication to this task;

ii. to support physicians experiencing difficulties as a result of their resistance to any such pressure or as a result of their at-
tempts to speak out or to act against such inhuman procedures; and,

iii. to extend its support and to encourage other international organisations, as well as the national member associations
(NMAs) of the World Medical Association, to support physicians encountering difficulties as a result of their attempts to act in
accordance with the highest ethical principles of the profession.

iv. Furthermore, in view of the continued employment of such inhumane procedures in many countries throughout the world,
and the documented incidents of pressure upon medical doctors to act in contravention to the ethical principles subscribed to
by the profession, the WMA finds it necessary:

v. to protest internationally against any involvement of, or any pressure to involve, medical doctors in acts of torture or other
forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

vi. to support and protect, and to call upon its NMAs to support and protect, physicians who are resisting involvement in such
inhuman procedures or who are working to treat and rehabilitate victims thereof, as well as to secure the right to uphold the
highest ethical principles including medical confidentiality;

vii. to publicise information about and to support doctors reporting evidence of torture and to make known proven cases of at-
tempts to involve physicians in such procedures; and,

viii. to encourage national medical associations to ask corresponding academic authorities to teach and investigate in all
schools of medicine and hospitals the consequences of torture and its treatment, the rehabilitation of the survivors, the docu-
mentation of torture, and the professional protection described in this Declaration.
Volume 3 Issue 12                              Medical Whistleblower’s Canary                                  Page 7




Countries To the Convention Against Torture
                                                                                              Article 3-


                                                                                      “Everyone has the right to
                                                                                           life, liberty and
                                                                                         security of person”




                                                                                  Map of the world with
                                                                                  parties to the Conven-
Psychological Research on Torture                                                 tion against Torture
                                                                                  shaded dark green,
In two very important psychological research studies, the Stanford prison         states that have signed
experiment, and the Milgram experiment, it was found that the people re-
spond to authority figures and will participate in torture. In the acceptance
                                                                                  but not ratified the treaty
of torture there are is a sliding scale of stages of personal acceptance of       in light green, and non-
torture and these include:                                                        parties in grey.
Reluctant or peripheral participation:
Official encouragement: Many people will follow the direction of an authority
figure (such as a superior officer) in an official setting (especially if presented
as mandatory), even if they have personal uncertainty. The main motivations
for this appear to be fear of loss of status or respect, and the desire to be seen
as a "good citizen" or "good subordinate".
Peer encouragement: This is when people begin to accept torture as neces-
sary, acceptable or deserved, or to comply from a wish to not reject peer group
beliefs.
Dehumanization: This means people seeing victims as objects of curiosity
and experimentation, where pain becomes just another test to see how it af-
fects the victim.
Disinhibition: This is when socio-cultural and situational pressures may cause torturers to undergo a lessen-
ing of moral Inhibitions and as a result act in ways not normally countenanced by law, custom and con-
science.


Milgram, Stanley (1963). "Behavioral Study of Obedience". Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 67:
371–378. doi:10.1037/h0040525. PMID 14049516.
http://content.apa.org/journals/abn/67/4/371. Full-text PDF.
Page 8                         Medical Whistleblower’s Canary                                 Volume 3 Issue 12




How do Governments Respond to Torture?
Torture becomes established as part of internally acceptable norms un-
der certain circumstances, it’s us often becomes institutionalized and
self-perpetuating over time. Many perpetrators of torture are coerced
by their superiors. It can be:


1.Carried on in silence (official denial)
2. Semi-silence (known but not spoken about)
3. Openly acknowledged in public (in order to instill fear and obedience).


Amnesty International
Amnesty International researches human rights abuses worldwide and releases re-
ports– in order to increase transparency and bring world attention to the problem. It
                                                                                          Amnesty International
also organizes a huge grassroots movement to call attention to actions of govern-
                                                                                          USA website http://
ments and individuals involved in abuses. Amnesty International argues that torture
                                                                                          www.amnestyusa.org
and ill-treatment are repugnant, abhorrent, and immoral. Amnesty International asserts
                                                                                          +1 212 807 8400
that evidence extracted by torture can be unreliable and that the use of torture cor-
rupts institutions which tolerate it. People will say or do anything to escape the situa- 5 Penn Plaza - 16th floor,
tion, including untrue ―confessions" and implication of others without genuine knowl-     New York, NY 10001
edge, who may well then be tortured in turn. Torture has often been sponsored by          USA
governments. In addition, individuals or groups may inflict torture on others for the
same reasons as those acting in an official capacity. The Amnesty International Secretariat is responsible for
the majority of the organization's research and leads the campaigning work, based in London, UK. Tele-
phone: +44-20-74135500 Fax number: +44-20-79561157 Address:1 Easton Street, London, WC1X
0DW, UK


                                 Cruel and Degrading Treatment
                                 Cruel and degrading treatment is any action or technique, or combination
                                 thereof, that would degrade or humiliate a human being, or result in personal
                                 misery. This category may include mental and physical abuse that would not
                                 quite amount to torture. Note: Today this category should include forcing a
                                 devout Muslim man to wear a woman's underpants on his head, or depriving a
                                 prisoner of bathing and toilet privileges. Many of these actions, if repeated or
                                 prolonged, or combined with other actions could constitute mental or physical
                                 torture.
Newsletter Title                              Volume 3 Issue 12                                                     Page 9




Disappearances
"Ghost Prisoners": Holding any person prisoner in
secret detention without access to families, advo-
cates, lawyers or the International Red Cross con-
stitutes mental torture both for the prisoners, their
families and loved ones. Under such conditions,
other forms of mental and physical torture become
almost inevitable. Secrecy always results in the
abuse of power. International Committee of the Red
Cross ICRC 1100 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite
500, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-587-4600, Fax:
202-587-4696 http://www.icrc.org/ Torture is at the
heart of the deadly politics of national security. http://
www.icrc.org/ Report on High Value Detainees in CIA custody http://www.nybooks.com/icrc-report.pdf



                                      Human Subjects Protection
                                      Human subjects should be protected and any medical research involving
                                      the use of Human Subjects should have a reviewed and approved investi-
                                      gation plan guided by experts in clinical medicine, public health, bioethics,
                                      and international human rights law who reviewed and approved the investi-
                                      gation plan. The medical research plan should also be guided by the rele-
                                      vant process provisions of Title 45 of the US Code of Federal Regulations
                                      and complied with the Declaration of Helsinki, as revised in 2000. For fur-
                                      ther information consult the World Med. Association, Declaration of Hel-
                                      sinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects,
                                      World Medical Association Doc. 17.C (1964, am. 1975, 1983, 1989, 1996,
                                      and 2000), available at http://www.wma.net/e/policy/b3.htm.




                     The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent
                   organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of
                      war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the
                        international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of conflict. It also
                    endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal
                                                          humanitarian principles.
Medical Whistleblower
                                                           The information contained through the Medical Whistle-
                                                           blower Canary Notes Newsletter is provided for general
                                                           information only. The information provided by the Medial
 Dr. Janet Parker DVM                                      Whistleblower Canary Notes does not constitute legal or
 P.O. Box C                                                professional advice nor is it conveyed or intended to be con-
 Lawrence, KS 66044                                        veyed in the course of any adviser-client discourse, but is
 Phone: 360-809-3058                                       intended to be general information with respect to common
 Fax: None                                                 issues. It is not offered as and does not constitute legal or
 E-mail: MedicalWhistleblower@gmail.com                    medical advice or opinion. It should not serve as a substitute
                                                           for advice from an attorney, qualified medical professional,
                                                           social worker, therapist or counselor familiar with the facts
 We are on the Web!
                                                           of your specific situation. We encourage you in due diligence
 MedicalWhistleblower.googlepages.com                      to seek additional information and resources before making
                                                           any decision. We make no warranty, express or implied,
                                                           concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content of this
                                                           newsletter due to the constantly changing nature of the legal
 Supporting the Emotional Health of All Whistleblowers     and medical aspects of these issues .
 and their Friends, Supporters and Families.




                                Physicians for Human Rights
                                 Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes health
                                 professionals to advance the health and dignity of all
                                 people through actions that promote respect for, pro-
                                 tection of, and fulfillment of human rights. PHR has a
Medical Evidence of Torture      track record of more than 20 years documenting tor-
by US Personnel and Its          ture around the world, including in Turkey, Chile,
Impact: A Report by              Chechnya, Kosovo, Israel, India, and Chiapas, Mex-
Physicians for Human Rights
                                 ico. PHR has extensive expertise in evaluating survi-
June 2008
                                 vors of torture as well as experience with prisoner health issues. PHR was one of
                                 the lead initiators and authors of the Istanbul Protocol on the investigation and
Physicians for Human Rights      documentation of torture, adopted as an official document by the United Nations in
2 Arrow Street, Suite 301        1999. PHR has repeatedly called for an end to the use of the ―enhanced‖ tactics by
                                 all US personnel, an end to all health professional participation in interrogations, a
Cambridge, MA 02138
                                 full Congressional investigation of the use of psychological and physical torture by
Tel. (617) 301.4200
                                 the US Government, and accountability for perpetrators. PHR has successfully or-
Washington Office                ganized and mobilized thousands of health professionals and helped to secure the
1156 15th Street, Suite          leadership of the major health professional associations to develop ethical guide-
1001                             lines related to interrogation that protect against medicine and science being em-
Washington, DC 20005             ployed to aid the abuse of prisoners. PHR’s work contributed to the adoption of ethi-
                                 cal standards by the American Medical Association, the World Medical Association,
Tel. (202) 728.5335
                                 and the American Psychiatric Association prohibiting direct participation of physi-
www.physiciansforhumanrights
                                 cians in interrogations. PHR has helped move the American Psychological Associa-
                                 tion (APA) to prohibit the involvement of its members in the Central Intelligence
                                 Agency’s ―enhanced‖ interrogation techniques and has supported a movement
                                 within the APA to end the direct participation of psychologists in interrogations.

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

INDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONS
INDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONSINDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONS
INDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONSVipin Kumar Patpatia
 
Fa qs on martial law claims in power point
Fa qs on martial law claims in power pointFa qs on martial law claims in power point
Fa qs on martial law claims in power pointPhilippine Human Rights
 
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...Purvi P. Patel
 
genocide as an international crime
genocide as an international crimegenocide as an international crime
genocide as an international crimeAbsar Aftab Absar
 
Human rights victims reparation and recognition act
Human rights victims reparation and recognition actHuman rights victims reparation and recognition act
Human rights victims reparation and recognition actPhilippine Human Rights
 
Crimes Against Humanity
Crimes Against HumanityCrimes Against Humanity
Crimes Against HumanityMd. Ehsan Khan
 
Week 4: Terrorism and human rights
Week 4: Terrorism and human rightsWeek 4: Terrorism and human rights
Week 4: Terrorism and human rightskamila_fraser
 
DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic Cleansing
 DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic Cleansing DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic Cleansing
DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic CleansingMYO AUNG Myanmar
 
Solitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights ppt
Solitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights pptSolitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights ppt
Solitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights pptMukesh Vashisht
 
Genocide and crime against humanity final
Genocide and crime against humanity finalGenocide and crime against humanity final
Genocide and crime against humanity finalPalak Agrawal
 
Prevention of genocide
Prevention of genocidePrevention of genocide
Prevention of genocidemdihslibrary
 
Offren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnesty
Offren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnestyOffren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnesty
Offren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnestyAmnesty International Sverige
 
Indian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity Conflicts
Indian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity ConflictsIndian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity Conflicts
Indian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity ConflictsNilendra Kumar
 
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera Epidemic
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera EpidemicYale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera Epidemic
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera EpidemicStanleylucas
 
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en Haiti
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en HaitiRapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en Haiti
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en HaitiStanleylucas
 

Was ist angesagt? (20)

INDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONS
INDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONSINDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONS
INDIAN ARMED FORCES AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONS
 
Fa qs on martial law claims in power point
Fa qs on martial law claims in power pointFa qs on martial law claims in power point
Fa qs on martial law claims in power point
 
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...
 
genocide as an international crime
genocide as an international crimegenocide as an international crime
genocide as an international crime
 
Human rights victims reparation and recognition act
Human rights victims reparation and recognition actHuman rights victims reparation and recognition act
Human rights victims reparation and recognition act
 
Crimes Against Humanity
Crimes Against HumanityCrimes Against Humanity
Crimes Against Humanity
 
Week 4: Terrorism and human rights
Week 4: Terrorism and human rightsWeek 4: Terrorism and human rights
Week 4: Terrorism and human rights
 
DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic Cleansing
 DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic Cleansing DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic Cleansing
DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic Cleansing
 
Solitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights ppt
Solitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights pptSolitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights ppt
Solitary Confinement, A violation of Human Rights ppt
 
Mod 3 International
Mod 3 InternationalMod 3 International
Mod 3 International
 
Genocide and crime against humanity final
Genocide and crime against humanity finalGenocide and crime against humanity final
Genocide and crime against humanity final
 
Ethiopia - Dismantling dissent
Ethiopia - Dismantling dissentEthiopia - Dismantling dissent
Ethiopia - Dismantling dissent
 
GUANTÁNAMO: A DECADE OF DAMAGE TO HUMAN RIGHTS
 GUANTÁNAMO: A DECADE OF DAMAGE TO HUMAN RIGHTS GUANTÁNAMO: A DECADE OF DAMAGE TO HUMAN RIGHTS
GUANTÁNAMO: A DECADE OF DAMAGE TO HUMAN RIGHTS
 
Human Rights
Human RightsHuman Rights
Human Rights
 
Prevention of genocide
Prevention of genocidePrevention of genocide
Prevention of genocide
 
Offren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnesty
Offren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnestyOffren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnesty
Offren for myndigheternas-vald_fortjanar-rattvisa-egypten-amnesty
 
Indian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity Conflicts
Indian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity ConflictsIndian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity Conflicts
Indian Armed Forces Perspective in the Background of Low Intensity Conflicts
 
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera Epidemic
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera EpidemicYale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera Epidemic
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera Epidemic
 
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en Haiti
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en HaitiRapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en Haiti
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en Haiti
 
Human rights
Human rightsHuman rights
Human rights
 

Andere mochten auch

Trauma And Post Traumatic Stress 5 23 10
Trauma And  Post  Traumatic  Stress 5 23 10Trauma And  Post  Traumatic  Stress 5 23 10
Trauma And Post Traumatic Stress 5 23 10MedicalWhistleblower
 
Human rights project: Torture
Human rights project: TortureHuman rights project: Torture
Human rights project: Tortureguest4c188c2
 
Ap european history final project
Ap european history final projectAp european history final project
Ap european history final projectbrokehobo
 
European History Projects
European History ProjectsEuropean History Projects
European History Projectskharrel
 
Torutre and mental health
Torutre and mental healthTorutre and mental health
Torutre and mental healthMahesan Ganesan
 
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 11 Psychiatric Rights &am...
Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 11  Psychiatric  Rights &am...Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 11  Psychiatric  Rights &am...
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 11 Psychiatric Rights &am...MedicalWhistleblower
 
Torture Presentation
Torture PresentationTorture Presentation
Torture PresentationTinaMinkowitz
 
Model Presentation Power Point On Human Rights
Model Presentation Power Point On Human RightsModel Presentation Power Point On Human Rights
Model Presentation Power Point On Human Rightssmuench
 
State of the Word 2011
State of the Word 2011State of the Word 2011
State of the Word 2011photomatt
 

Andere mochten auch (15)

Torture
TortureTorture
Torture
 
Trauma And Post Traumatic Stress 5 23 10
Trauma And  Post  Traumatic  Stress 5 23 10Trauma And  Post  Traumatic  Stress 5 23 10
Trauma And Post Traumatic Stress 5 23 10
 
Human rights project: Torture
Human rights project: TortureHuman rights project: Torture
Human rights project: Torture
 
Torture ppt
Torture pptTorture ppt
Torture ppt
 
Ap european history final project
Ap european history final projectAp european history final project
Ap european history final project
 
European History Projects
European History ProjectsEuropean History Projects
European History Projects
 
Torutre and mental health
Torutre and mental healthTorutre and mental health
Torutre and mental health
 
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 11 Psychiatric Rights &am...
Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 11  Psychiatric  Rights &am...Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 11  Psychiatric  Rights &am...
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 11 Psychiatric Rights &am...
 
Torture
TortureTorture
Torture
 
Torture
TortureTorture
Torture
 
Torture
TortureTorture
Torture
 
Torture Presentation
Torture PresentationTorture Presentation
Torture Presentation
 
Model Presentation Power Point On Human Rights
Model Presentation Power Point On Human RightsModel Presentation Power Point On Human Rights
Model Presentation Power Point On Human Rights
 
State of the Word 2011
State of the Word 2011State of the Word 2011
State of the Word 2011
 
Slideshare ppt
Slideshare pptSlideshare ppt
Slideshare ppt
 

Ähnlich wie Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 38 Torture Dec. 2008 Vol. 3 Issue 12

Human rights violation_in_custodial_torture
Human rights violation_in_custodial_tortureHuman rights violation_in_custodial_torture
Human rights violation_in_custodial_tortureAvinash Rajput
 
Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15
Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15
Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15Patrick Hendry
 
Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...
Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...
Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...Rielo Institute for Integral Development
 
Trauma then and now part 1 of 3
Trauma then and now part 1 of 3Trauma then and now part 1 of 3
Trauma then and now part 1 of 3Mrsunny4
 
082111 euthanasia tan it
082111 euthanasia   tan it082111 euthanasia   tan it
082111 euthanasia tan itAaron Khoo
 
082111 euthanasia tan it
082111 euthanasia   tan it082111 euthanasia   tan it
082111 euthanasia tan itAaron Khoo
 
Harmlessness and the Invocation of Peace
Harmlessness and the Invocation of PeaceHarmlessness and the Invocation of Peace
Harmlessness and the Invocation of Peacesgcslides
 
Capstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic Violence
Capstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic ViolenceCapstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic Violence
Capstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic ViolenceJennifer Laubenstein
 
Women rights and human rights violations
Women rights and human rights violationsWomen rights and human rights violations
Women rights and human rights violationsDR. ASHIS DASH
 
Euthanasia - Types, Arguments For and Against
Euthanasia - Types, Arguments For and AgainstEuthanasia - Types, Arguments For and Against
Euthanasia - Types, Arguments For and AgainstTejas Shah
 
The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...
The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...
The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...Ya'ir Ronen
 
Psycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in Nigeria
Psycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in NigeriaPsycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in Nigeria
Psycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in NigeriaMadridge Publishers Pvt Ltd
 
Abugharaib Torture
Abugharaib TortureAbugharaib Torture
Abugharaib Torturebrighteyes
 

Ähnlich wie Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 38 Torture Dec. 2008 Vol. 3 Issue 12 (16)

Human rights violation_in_custodial_torture
Human rights violation_in_custodial_tortureHuman rights violation_in_custodial_torture
Human rights violation_in_custodial_torture
 
Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15
Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15
Compassion Safety Rights Final 1-15
 
Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...
Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...
Integral assistance to refugees: an anthropological approach - Dr. M. Lafuent...
 
Trauma then and now part 1 of 3
Trauma then and now part 1 of 3Trauma then and now part 1 of 3
Trauma then and now part 1 of 3
 
082111 euthanasia tan it
082111 euthanasia   tan it082111 euthanasia   tan it
082111 euthanasia tan it
 
082111 euthanasia tan it
082111 euthanasia   tan it082111 euthanasia   tan it
082111 euthanasia tan it
 
Harmlessness and the Invocation of Peace
Harmlessness and the Invocation of PeaceHarmlessness and the Invocation of Peace
Harmlessness and the Invocation of Peace
 
Capstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic Violence
Capstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic ViolenceCapstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic Violence
Capstone Project...Human Rights and Domestic Violence
 
PPT On Euthanasia
PPT On EuthanasiaPPT On Euthanasia
PPT On Euthanasia
 
Women rights and human rights violations
Women rights and human rights violationsWomen rights and human rights violations
Women rights and human rights violations
 
Euthanasia - Types, Arguments For and Against
Euthanasia - Types, Arguments For and AgainstEuthanasia - Types, Arguments For and Against
Euthanasia - Types, Arguments For and Against
 
Law of-war
Law of-warLaw of-war
Law of-war
 
Coercion in Psychiatry.pptx
Coercion in Psychiatry.pptxCoercion in Psychiatry.pptx
Coercion in Psychiatry.pptx
 
The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...
The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...
The troublesome aspects of psychiatric hospitalization as experienced by the ...
 
Psycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in Nigeria
Psycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in NigeriaPsycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in Nigeria
Psycho-Social Traumatic Events among Women in Nigeria
 
Abugharaib Torture
Abugharaib TortureAbugharaib Torture
Abugharaib Torture
 

Mehr von MedicalWhistleblower

13. 2015 mwan 010815 testimony to federal election commission 1 8-15
13.  2015 mwan 010815  testimony to federal election commission  1 8-1513.  2015 mwan 010815  testimony to federal election commission  1 8-15
13. 2015 mwan 010815 testimony to federal election commission 1 8-15MedicalWhistleblower
 
10. 2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...
10.  2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...10.  2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...
10. 2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...MedicalWhistleblower
 
16. 2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...
16.  2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...16.  2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...
16. 2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...MedicalWhistleblower
 
8. 2015 mwan 070415 right to life statement iccpr human subjects
8.  2015 mwan 070415  right to life statement iccpr human subjects8.  2015 mwan 070415  right to life statement iccpr human subjects
8. 2015 mwan 070415 right to life statement iccpr human subjectsMedicalWhistleblower
 
9. 2015 mwan upr disability rights js 8 upr 2nd cycle report
9.  2015 mwan upr disability rights  js 8 upr 2nd cycle report9.  2015 mwan upr disability rights  js 8 upr 2nd cycle report
9. 2015 mwan upr disability rights js 8 upr 2nd cycle reportMedicalWhistleblower
 
6. 2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court ic...
6.  2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court  ic...6.  2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court  ic...
6. 2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court ic...MedicalWhistleblower
 
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment Short
2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment ShortMedicalWhistleblower
 
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment Short
2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment ShortMedicalWhistleblower
 
R A P E V I C T I M S A R E A C L A S S O F P E R S O N S O F T E N D...
R A P E  V I C T I M S  A R E  A  C L A S S  O F  P E R S O N S  O F T E N  D...R A P E  V I C T I M S  A R E  A  C L A S S  O F  P E R S O N S  O F T E N  D...
R A P E V I C T I M S A R E A C L A S S O F P E R S O N S O F T E N D...MedicalWhistleblower
 
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace
How  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  WorkplaceHow  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  Workplace
How Should We Address Bulling In The WorkplaceMedicalWhistleblower
 
Creating Social Change Medical Whistleblower
Creating  Social  Change    Medical  WhistleblowerCreating  Social  Change    Medical  Whistleblower
Creating Social Change Medical WhistleblowerMedicalWhistleblower
 
Law Enforcement Goals & Learning Objectives
Law  Enforcement  Goals &  Learning  ObjectivesLaw  Enforcement  Goals &  Learning  Objectives
Law Enforcement Goals & Learning ObjectivesMedicalWhistleblower
 
Law Enforcement, Intelligence, And Bioterrorism Investigation Test
Law  Enforcement,  Intelligence, And  Bioterrorism  Investigation  TestLaw  Enforcement,  Intelligence, And  Bioterrorism  Investigation  Test
Law Enforcement, Intelligence, And Bioterrorism Investigation TestMedicalWhistleblower
 
Law Enforcement And Medical Whistleblowers Survey
Law  Enforcement And  Medical  Whistleblowers  SurveyLaw  Enforcement And  Medical  Whistleblowers  Survey
Law Enforcement And Medical Whistleblowers SurveyMedicalWhistleblower
 
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace Medical Whistleblower
How  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  Workplace    Medical  WhistleblowerHow  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  Workplace    Medical  Whistleblower
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace Medical WhistleblowerMedicalWhistleblower
 
Rape Victims Are A Class Of Persons Often Defined By Gender Medical ...
Rape  Victims Are A  Class Of  Persons  Often  Defined  By  Gender  Medical  ...Rape  Victims Are A  Class Of  Persons  Often  Defined  By  Gender  Medical  ...
Rape Victims Are A Class Of Persons Often Defined By Gender Medical ...MedicalWhistleblower
 
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 2 Bullying February 2006...
Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 2  Bullying  February  2006...Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 2  Bullying  February  2006...
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 2 Bullying February 2006...MedicalWhistleblower
 

Mehr von MedicalWhistleblower (20)

13. 2015 mwan 010815 testimony to federal election commission 1 8-15
13.  2015 mwan 010815  testimony to federal election commission  1 8-1513.  2015 mwan 010815  testimony to federal election commission  1 8-15
13. 2015 mwan 010815 testimony to federal election commission 1 8-15
 
10. 2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...
10.  2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...10.  2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...
10. 2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...
 
16. 2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...
16.  2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...16.  2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...
16. 2014 mwan 042914 do you know what a dragon looks like subcommittee of th...
 
8. 2015 mwan 070415 right to life statement iccpr human subjects
8.  2015 mwan 070415  right to life statement iccpr human subjects8.  2015 mwan 070415  right to life statement iccpr human subjects
8. 2015 mwan 070415 right to life statement iccpr human subjects
 
9. 2015 mwan upr disability rights js 8 upr 2nd cycle report
9.  2015 mwan upr disability rights  js 8 upr 2nd cycle report9.  2015 mwan upr disability rights  js 8 upr 2nd cycle report
9. 2015 mwan upr disability rights js 8 upr 2nd cycle report
 
6. 2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court ic...
6.  2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court  ic...6.  2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court  ic...
6. 2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court ic...
 
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment Short
2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment Short
 
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment Short
2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short2011  M W  Abuse And  Neglect In  Residential  Treatment Short
2011 M W Abuse And Neglect In Residential Treatment Short
 
R A P E V I C T I M S A R E A C L A S S O F P E R S O N S O F T E N D...
R A P E  V I C T I M S  A R E  A  C L A S S  O F  P E R S O N S  O F T E N  D...R A P E  V I C T I M S  A R E  A  C L A S S  O F  P E R S O N S  O F T E N  D...
R A P E V I C T I M S A R E A C L A S S O F P E R S O N S O F T E N D...
 
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace
How  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  WorkplaceHow  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  Workplace
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace
 
Wisdom From The Desiderata
Wisdom From The  DesiderataWisdom From The  Desiderata
Wisdom From The Desiderata
 
Thou Art An Eagle
Thou Art An EagleThou Art An Eagle
Thou Art An Eagle
 
Creating Social Change Medical Whistleblower
Creating  Social  Change    Medical  WhistleblowerCreating  Social  Change    Medical  Whistleblower
Creating Social Change Medical Whistleblower
 
A Walk In The Woods With Me
A  Walk In The  Woods With  MeA  Walk In The  Woods With  Me
A Walk In The Woods With Me
 
Law Enforcement Goals & Learning Objectives
Law  Enforcement  Goals &  Learning  ObjectivesLaw  Enforcement  Goals &  Learning  Objectives
Law Enforcement Goals & Learning Objectives
 
Law Enforcement, Intelligence, And Bioterrorism Investigation Test
Law  Enforcement,  Intelligence, And  Bioterrorism  Investigation  TestLaw  Enforcement,  Intelligence, And  Bioterrorism  Investigation  Test
Law Enforcement, Intelligence, And Bioterrorism Investigation Test
 
Law Enforcement And Medical Whistleblowers Survey
Law  Enforcement And  Medical  Whistleblowers  SurveyLaw  Enforcement And  Medical  Whistleblowers  Survey
Law Enforcement And Medical Whistleblowers Survey
 
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace Medical Whistleblower
How  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  Workplace    Medical  WhistleblowerHow  Should  We  Address  Bulling In The  Workplace    Medical  Whistleblower
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace Medical Whistleblower
 
Rape Victims Are A Class Of Persons Often Defined By Gender Medical ...
Rape  Victims Are A  Class Of  Persons  Often  Defined  By  Gender  Medical  ...Rape  Victims Are A  Class Of  Persons  Often  Defined  By  Gender  Medical  ...
Rape Victims Are A Class Of Persons Often Defined By Gender Medical ...
 
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 2 Bullying February 2006...
Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 2  Bullying  February  2006...Medical  Whistleblower  Canary  Notes  Newsletter 2  Bullying  February  2006...
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 2 Bullying February 2006...
 

Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 38 Torture Dec. 2008 Vol. 3 Issue 12

  • 1. Medical Whistleblower December 2008 Medical Whistleblower’s Volume 3 Issue 12 Canary Notes Inside this issue: Physical Torture 1 What is Torture? Psychological Torture 2 Sleep Deprivation 3 What is Torture? This might seem to be a simple question but the sliding slope of mis- Threats treatment and abuse makes defining torture a complex legal issue. Torture is defined by Rape and Sexual 4 Abuse the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treat- The World Medical 5-6 Association ment or Punishment (UNCAT) June 1987. Article 1 (1) in the following way: Countries who signed 7 & ratified ―For the purposes of this Convention, the term "torture" means any act by which severe pain Psychological Research 7 or suffering, whether physical or mental, is in- How do governments 8 tentionally inflicted on a person for such pur- poses as obtaining from him or a third person Amnesty Interna- 8 tional information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is Cruel and Degrading suspected of having committed, or intimidating Disappearances 9 or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, Human Subjects when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity.‖ Physicians for Human 10 Rights The definition of Torture by the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition Inter- national (TASSC) is as follows: Physical Torture Physical Torture is any action or technique, or combination that would result in severe physical pain when inflicted upon a human being. Severe physical pain means a level “The clarity of what of pain that a person would not voluntarily accept for himself or herself. Physical torture you ought to do gives includes but is not limited to the following: you courage.” – Wangari Maathai Electric shock Beatings Near asphyxiation Stress positions Rape or sexual abuse Dog attacks Burning
  • 2. Page 2 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Volume 3 Issue 12 Psychological Torture Non-physical methods can be used to cause psychological suffering. The effects of psychological torture are not immediately apparent unless they alter the behavior of the tortured person, so it is often overlooked or denied. Physical torture is the inflicting of severe pain or suffering on a person. In contrast, psychological tor- ture is directed at the psyche with calculated violations of psychological needs, along with deep damage to psychological structures and the breakage of beliefs underpinning normal sanity. Torturers often inflict both types of torture in combination to compound the associated effects. Torture can include extreme stressors, rape, sexual abuse, mock execution, shunning, violation of deep-seated social or sexual norms and taboos, and extended solitary confinement. Many torturers around the world use methods designed to have a maxi- mum psychological impact, while leaving only minimal physical traces. For survivors, torture often leads to lasting mental and physical health problems. It is important to remember that it is possible to induce severe psychological pain, suffering, and trauma with no externally visible effects. Often torturers prefer methods that, while unpleasant, leave victims alive and unmarked. A victim with no visible damage may lack credibility when telling tales of torture. Mental torture, however can leave scars just as deep and long-lasting as physi- cal torture. Torture can include electrical shock, asphyxiation, heat, cold, noise, and sleep deprivation (which leaves little evidence), beatings, and can even involve horrific mutilation or death. The severe mental pain and suffering of those who have been subjected to sexually humiliating acts can constitute cruel or inhuman treatment and also be considered a psychological form of torture. The definition of Mental Torture by the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) is any action or technique, or any combination thereof, which might result in severe mental trauma or harm when inflicted upon a human be- ing. This includes but is not limited to the following: Death threat or threats of immediate and severe physical pain Mock executions Rape or sexual abuse Extended disruption of food and sleep Extended solitary confinement Extended sensory deprivation Extended sensory disruption or overload Use of hallucinogenic or other mentally disruptive drugs Threats against family members Secret detention or "disappearances" of a loved one Forced observance, by hearing or watching, of the mental and/or physical torture or murder of another. Forcible participation in the mental or physical torture of others. Severe mental trauma or harm means a level of fear or trauma that a person would not voluntarily accept for himself or herself, or which results in prolonged mental suffering afterwards. Note: There are countless ways to inflict mental trauma or harm such as the use of psychotropic, mind- altering, or other drugs for the purpose of decreasing resistance or gaining information or the exploitation of phobias, psychopathology, or physical vulnerability . Some methods may appear innocuous, but are in fact devastating.
  • 3. Page 3 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Volume 3 Issue 12 Disruption of Sleep and Meals: Sleep Deprivation and withholding food and water con- stitutes, at a minimum, cruel and degrading treat- ment. Depending on the age and health of the prisoner, the duration of the disruption, and the other techniques being used in this combination, in most cases this will also constitute mental and/or physical torture. US Fed- eral courts have repeatedly found sleep deprivation to violate both the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments. The Supreme Court has held that a confession obtained by depriving a prisoner of sleep for thirty-six hours vio- lated the individual’s right to due process. See Ashcraft v. Tennessee, 322 U.S. 143, 154 (1944); see also Ashcraft v. Tennessee, 327 U.S. 274 (1946); see generally United States ex rel. Wade v. Jackson, 256 F.2d 7 (2d Cir. 1958) (depriving arrestee of sleep for twenty-two hours contributed to violations of due process rights). Threats: Universal Declaration of Human The international courts have agreed that threats, including threats to a third Rights person, are prohibited conduct constituting cruel or inhuman treatment. Article 1- [ Campbell v. United Kingdom — 4 Eur. Ct. H.R. 293 (ser. A) ¶ 26(Feb. 25 “All human beings are born free 1982), available at http://www.worldlii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/1982/1.html] and in and equal in dignity and rights. some cases part of a pattern of mental abuse and torture. [Urrutia v. Guate- They are endowed with reason mala, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R., (Ser. C) No. 103, ¶¶ 93-94] The European Court of and conscience and should act Human Rights found that threats can trigger ―long-term symptoms of anxiety towards one another in a spirit of and insecurity, diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder and requiring treatment by medication,‖ and can even be by themselves to constitute tor- brotherhood” ture.‖ [Akkoç v. Turkey. App. nos. 22947/93 and 22948/93, 116-17 (Oct. 10, 2000)]. Under US law, threats of imminent death or severe physical pain or suffering to the individual or others, are explicitly banned as forms of mental torture that can lead to long-term harm under the Torture Act and are war crimes under the War Crimes Act (2003). When there are credible verbal threats of the use of deadly force it can be considered to be cruel and unusual treatment that ―shocks the conscience‖ in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. For instance, US Federal appeals courts have found that pointing a loaded weapon at a civilian without a legiti- mate law enforcement purpose violated the Fourteenth Amendment. [Hawkins v. Holloway, 316 F.3d 777, 787 (8th Cir. 2003)] (holding that ―threatening deadly force a as means of oppressing those employed in his department‖ elevated ―his conduct to the arbitrary and conscience shocking behavior prohibited by substantive due process‖); [Robinson v. Solano County, 278 F.3d 1007, 1014 (9th Cir. 2002)].
  • 4. Page 4 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Volume 3 Issue 12 Rape, Sexual Abuse and Humiliation: Article 5- Rape, of course, will always constitute physical and mental torture. Religious, cultural, and sexual humiliation including, but not limited to, forced nakedness and other sexual “No one shall be subjected abuse, such as unwanted touching, forced nudity, and forced masturbation is always, to torture or to cruel, at the very least, cruel and degrading. Sexual abuse and humiliation fall within the definition of mental torture. In the legal case Raquel Martin Mejía v. Perú, Case inhuman or degrading 10.970, Report No. 5/96, Inter-Am. C.H.R. 157, OEA/ser.L/V/II.91, doc. 7 rev. (1996). treatment or punishment” The court announced that rape constituted torture if it was: ―1) an intentional act through which physical and mental pain and suffering is inflicted on a person; 2) com- mitted with a purpose; and 3) committed by a public official or by a private person act- ing at the instigation of the former.‖ Rape not only is an unspeakable infringement of human rights, but often leaves deep and lasting psychological scars. The international human rights, criminal justice, and humanitarian law communities, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), the ad hoc international criminal tribunals, regional human rights courts, and the UN human rights bodies, are uniform in their designation of rape as a violation of human rights and a crime. Perhaps most significantly, the International Criminal Court statute con- siders rape, including sexual violence, a war crime and, if used systematically against a civilian population, a crime against humanity. The ICC statute also establishes that rape is a ―grave breach‖ of the Geneva Conventions and may constitute a crime against humanity. Rape by a state agent will almost always be torture as well. The Fourth Geneva Convention considers rape as an act of torture and a war crime. Both the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights have characterized rape as inhumane treatment, and the Inter-American Court later “I know what few U.S. determined that rape is a form of torture and thus a violation of Article 5.2 of the citizens know: what it is American Convention on Human Rights. The European Court of Human Rights also to be an innocent civil- ian, and to be accused, found that rape can constitute a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention, interrogated, and tor- which prohibits torture. The court found that ―rape of a detainee by an official of the tured, to have my own government eschew my State must be considered to be an especially grave and abhorrent form of ill-treatment claims for justice and given the ease with which the offender can exploit the vulnerability and weakened re- actively destroy my sistance of his victim.‖ Aydin v. Turkey, 1997-VI Eur. H.R. Rep. 1866, ¶¶ 80-88 ¶ character because my case causes political 83.(1997). Incidents of penetration with a foreign object clearly constitute rape under problems for them. I domestic law such as the War Crimes Act. Military Commissions Act of 2006, Pub. L. know what it is to wait in No. 109-366, 120 Stat. 2600 (amending 18 U.S.C.§ 2441) (2006). Sexually degrading the dark for torture, and what it is to wait in the acts have historically been used in combination with other methods to break down a dark for the truth. I am detainee. Forced nakedness and sexual humiliation violate human dignity and can still waiting.‖ lead to long-term psychological harm. Sexual humiliation and stripping a detainee of Sister Diana Ortiz his clothes adds to his sense of vulnerability and are ―intended to cause . . . feelings of humiliation and inferiority.‖
  • 5. Volume 3 Issue 12 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Page 5 The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo. Guidelines for Physicians Concerning Tor- ture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Relation to Detention and Imprisonment Adopted by the 29th World Medical Assembly, Tokyo, Japan, October 1975, and editorially revised at the 170th Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2005 and the 173rd Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2006 PREAMBLE It is the privilege of the physician to practise medicine in the service of humanity, to preserve and restore bodily and mental health without distinction as to persons, to comfort and to ease the suffering of his or her patients. The utmost respect for human life is to be maintained even under threat, and no use made of any medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity. For the purpose of this Declaration, torture is defined as the deliberate, systematic or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of any authority, to force another person to yield information, to make a confession, or for any other reason. DECLARATION 1. The physician shall not countenance, condone or participate in the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures, whatever the offense of which the victim of such procedures is suspected, accused or guilty, and whatever the victim's beliefs or motives, and in all situations, including armed conflict and civil strife. 2. The physician shall not provide any premises, instruments, substances or knowledge to fa- cilitate the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or to dimin- ish the ability of the victim to resist such treatment. 3. When providing medical assistance to detainees or prisoners who are, or who could later be, under interrogation, physicians should be particularly careful to ensure the confidentiality of all personal medical information. A breach of the Geneva Conventions shall in any case be reported by the physician to relevant authorities. The physician shall not use nor allow to be used, as far as he or she can, medical knowledge or skills, or health information specific to individuals, to fa- cilitate or otherwise aid any interrogation, legal or illegal, of those individuals. 4. The physician shall not be present during any procedure during which torture or any other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is used or threatened. 5. A physician must have complete clinical independence in deciding upon the care of a person for whom he or she is medically responsible. The physician's fundamental role is to alleviate the distress of his or her fellow human beings, and no motive, whether personal, collective or politi- cal, shall prevail against this higher purpose. 6. Where a prisoner refuses nourishment and is considered by the physician as capable of forming an unimpaired and rational judgment concerning the consequences of such a voluntary refusal of nourishment, he or she shall not be fed artificially. The decision as to the capacity of the prisoner to form such a judgment should be confirmed by at least one other independent physician. The consequences of the refusal of nourishment shall be explained by the physician to the prisoner. 7. The World Medical Association will support, and should encourage the international commu- nity, the National Medical Associations and fellow physicians to support, the physician and his or her family in the face of threats or reprisals resulting from a refusal to condone the use of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
  • 6. Page 6 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Volume 3 Issue 12 The World Medical Association Declaration, Hamburg, Germany, 11/ 1997 World Medical Association Declaration Concerning Support for Medical Doctors Refusing to Participate in, or to Condone, the Use of Torture or Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment PREAMBLE 1. On the basis of a number of international ethical declarations and guidelines subscribed to by the medical profession, medi- cal doctors throughout the world are prohibited from countenancing, condoning or participating in the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures for any reason. 2. Primary among these declarations are the World Medical Association's International Code of Medical Ethics, Declaration of Geneva, Declaration of Tokyo, and Resolution on Physician Participation in Capital Punishment; the Standing Committee of European Doctors' Statement of Madrid; the Nordic Resolution Concerning Physician Involvement in Capital Punishment; and, the World Psychiatric Association's Declaration of Hawaii. However, none of these declarations or statements addresses explicitly the issue of what protection should be extended to medical doctors if they are pressured, called upon, or ordered to take part in torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrad- ing treatment or punishment. Nor do these declarations or statements express explicit support for, or the obligation to protect, doctors who encounter or become aware of such procedures. RESOLUTION 4. The World Medical Association (WMA) hereby reiterates and reaffirms the responsibility of the organised medical profes- sion: i. to encourage doctors to honour their commitment as physicians to serve humanity and to resist any pressure to act con- trary to the ethical principles governing their dedication to this task; ii. to support physicians experiencing difficulties as a result of their resistance to any such pressure or as a result of their at- tempts to speak out or to act against such inhuman procedures; and, iii. to extend its support and to encourage other international organisations, as well as the national member associations (NMAs) of the World Medical Association, to support physicians encountering difficulties as a result of their attempts to act in accordance with the highest ethical principles of the profession. iv. Furthermore, in view of the continued employment of such inhumane procedures in many countries throughout the world, and the documented incidents of pressure upon medical doctors to act in contravention to the ethical principles subscribed to by the profession, the WMA finds it necessary: v. to protest internationally against any involvement of, or any pressure to involve, medical doctors in acts of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; vi. to support and protect, and to call upon its NMAs to support and protect, physicians who are resisting involvement in such inhuman procedures or who are working to treat and rehabilitate victims thereof, as well as to secure the right to uphold the highest ethical principles including medical confidentiality; vii. to publicise information about and to support doctors reporting evidence of torture and to make known proven cases of at- tempts to involve physicians in such procedures; and, viii. to encourage national medical associations to ask corresponding academic authorities to teach and investigate in all schools of medicine and hospitals the consequences of torture and its treatment, the rehabilitation of the survivors, the docu- mentation of torture, and the professional protection described in this Declaration.
  • 7. Volume 3 Issue 12 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Page 7 Countries To the Convention Against Torture Article 3- “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” Map of the world with parties to the Conven- Psychological Research on Torture tion against Torture shaded dark green, In two very important psychological research studies, the Stanford prison states that have signed experiment, and the Milgram experiment, it was found that the people re- spond to authority figures and will participate in torture. In the acceptance but not ratified the treaty of torture there are is a sliding scale of stages of personal acceptance of in light green, and non- torture and these include: parties in grey. Reluctant or peripheral participation: Official encouragement: Many people will follow the direction of an authority figure (such as a superior officer) in an official setting (especially if presented as mandatory), even if they have personal uncertainty. The main motivations for this appear to be fear of loss of status or respect, and the desire to be seen as a "good citizen" or "good subordinate". Peer encouragement: This is when people begin to accept torture as neces- sary, acceptable or deserved, or to comply from a wish to not reject peer group beliefs. Dehumanization: This means people seeing victims as objects of curiosity and experimentation, where pain becomes just another test to see how it af- fects the victim. Disinhibition: This is when socio-cultural and situational pressures may cause torturers to undergo a lessen- ing of moral Inhibitions and as a result act in ways not normally countenanced by law, custom and con- science. Milgram, Stanley (1963). "Behavioral Study of Obedience". Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 67: 371–378. doi:10.1037/h0040525. PMID 14049516. http://content.apa.org/journals/abn/67/4/371. Full-text PDF.
  • 8. Page 8 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Volume 3 Issue 12 How do Governments Respond to Torture? Torture becomes established as part of internally acceptable norms un- der certain circumstances, it’s us often becomes institutionalized and self-perpetuating over time. Many perpetrators of torture are coerced by their superiors. It can be: 1.Carried on in silence (official denial) 2. Semi-silence (known but not spoken about) 3. Openly acknowledged in public (in order to instill fear and obedience). Amnesty International Amnesty International researches human rights abuses worldwide and releases re- ports– in order to increase transparency and bring world attention to the problem. It Amnesty International also organizes a huge grassroots movement to call attention to actions of govern- USA website http:// ments and individuals involved in abuses. Amnesty International argues that torture www.amnestyusa.org and ill-treatment are repugnant, abhorrent, and immoral. Amnesty International asserts +1 212 807 8400 that evidence extracted by torture can be unreliable and that the use of torture cor- rupts institutions which tolerate it. People will say or do anything to escape the situa- 5 Penn Plaza - 16th floor, tion, including untrue ―confessions" and implication of others without genuine knowl- New York, NY 10001 edge, who may well then be tortured in turn. Torture has often been sponsored by USA governments. In addition, individuals or groups may inflict torture on others for the same reasons as those acting in an official capacity. The Amnesty International Secretariat is responsible for the majority of the organization's research and leads the campaigning work, based in London, UK. Tele- phone: +44-20-74135500 Fax number: +44-20-79561157 Address:1 Easton Street, London, WC1X 0DW, UK Cruel and Degrading Treatment Cruel and degrading treatment is any action or technique, or combination thereof, that would degrade or humiliate a human being, or result in personal misery. This category may include mental and physical abuse that would not quite amount to torture. Note: Today this category should include forcing a devout Muslim man to wear a woman's underpants on his head, or depriving a prisoner of bathing and toilet privileges. Many of these actions, if repeated or prolonged, or combined with other actions could constitute mental or physical torture.
  • 9. Newsletter Title Volume 3 Issue 12 Page 9 Disappearances "Ghost Prisoners": Holding any person prisoner in secret detention without access to families, advo- cates, lawyers or the International Red Cross con- stitutes mental torture both for the prisoners, their families and loved ones. Under such conditions, other forms of mental and physical torture become almost inevitable. Secrecy always results in the abuse of power. International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC 1100 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-587-4600, Fax: 202-587-4696 http://www.icrc.org/ Torture is at the heart of the deadly politics of national security. http:// www.icrc.org/ Report on High Value Detainees in CIA custody http://www.nybooks.com/icrc-report.pdf Human Subjects Protection Human subjects should be protected and any medical research involving the use of Human Subjects should have a reviewed and approved investi- gation plan guided by experts in clinical medicine, public health, bioethics, and international human rights law who reviewed and approved the investi- gation plan. The medical research plan should also be guided by the rele- vant process provisions of Title 45 of the US Code of Federal Regulations and complied with the Declaration of Helsinki, as revised in 2000. For fur- ther information consult the World Med. Association, Declaration of Hel- sinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects, World Medical Association Doc. 17.C (1964, am. 1975, 1983, 1989, 1996, and 2000), available at http://www.wma.net/e/policy/b3.htm. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of conflict. It also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.
  • 10. Medical Whistleblower The information contained through the Medical Whistle- blower Canary Notes Newsletter is provided for general information only. The information provided by the Medial Dr. Janet Parker DVM Whistleblower Canary Notes does not constitute legal or P.O. Box C professional advice nor is it conveyed or intended to be con- Lawrence, KS 66044 veyed in the course of any adviser-client discourse, but is Phone: 360-809-3058 intended to be general information with respect to common Fax: None issues. It is not offered as and does not constitute legal or E-mail: MedicalWhistleblower@gmail.com medical advice or opinion. It should not serve as a substitute for advice from an attorney, qualified medical professional, social worker, therapist or counselor familiar with the facts We are on the Web! of your specific situation. We encourage you in due diligence MedicalWhistleblower.googlepages.com to seek additional information and resources before making any decision. We make no warranty, express or implied, concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content of this newsletter due to the constantly changing nature of the legal Supporting the Emotional Health of All Whistleblowers and medical aspects of these issues . and their Friends, Supporters and Families. Physicians for Human Rights Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes health professionals to advance the health and dignity of all people through actions that promote respect for, pro- tection of, and fulfillment of human rights. PHR has a Medical Evidence of Torture track record of more than 20 years documenting tor- by US Personnel and Its ture around the world, including in Turkey, Chile, Impact: A Report by Chechnya, Kosovo, Israel, India, and Chiapas, Mex- Physicians for Human Rights ico. PHR has extensive expertise in evaluating survi- June 2008 vors of torture as well as experience with prisoner health issues. PHR was one of the lead initiators and authors of the Istanbul Protocol on the investigation and Physicians for Human Rights documentation of torture, adopted as an official document by the United Nations in 2 Arrow Street, Suite 301 1999. PHR has repeatedly called for an end to the use of the ―enhanced‖ tactics by all US personnel, an end to all health professional participation in interrogations, a Cambridge, MA 02138 full Congressional investigation of the use of psychological and physical torture by Tel. (617) 301.4200 the US Government, and accountability for perpetrators. PHR has successfully or- Washington Office ganized and mobilized thousands of health professionals and helped to secure the 1156 15th Street, Suite leadership of the major health professional associations to develop ethical guide- 1001 lines related to interrogation that protect against medicine and science being em- Washington, DC 20005 ployed to aid the abuse of prisoners. PHR’s work contributed to the adoption of ethi- cal standards by the American Medical Association, the World Medical Association, Tel. (202) 728.5335 and the American Psychiatric Association prohibiting direct participation of physi- www.physiciansforhumanrights cians in interrogations. PHR has helped move the American Psychological Associa- tion (APA) to prohibit the involvement of its members in the Central Intelligence Agency’s ―enhanced‖ interrogation techniques and has supported a movement within the APA to end the direct participation of psychologists in interrogations.