Knowra Torture Torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe physical or psychological pain or suffering, commonly to punish, intimidate, coerce, or obtain information. It is prohibited under international law, with limited exceptions in how legal definitions apply.
Interrogation : The systematic questioning of a person to obtain information, testimony, or admissions. Torture is sometimes used during questioning to compel information or statements.
Judicial torture : The use of coercive pain by legal authorities to extract confessions or evidence. It was once authorized in some legal systems, unlike the modern norm of categorical prohibition.
Jean Améry : An Austrian essayist and Holocaust survivor who wrote about torture, persecution, and the destruction of trust. His account examines torture's lasting damage to a victim's sense of self and world.
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment : Treatment prohibited by human-rights law that causes serious suffering or affronts dignity but may not meet the legal definition of torture. The distinction can affect legal classification, though both categories are prohibited.
Post-traumatic stress disorder : A mental disorder that can develop after exposure to traumatic events and involve intrusive memories, avoidance, and heightened arousal. Survivors may experience persistent trauma symptoms long after torture ends.
Coercion : The use of threats or force to make someone act against their will. Pain and fear can be used to pressure a person into compliance.
Spanish Inquisition : A tribunal established by the Spanish monarchy in 1478 to enforce Catholic orthodoxy. Its procedures became a prominent historical example in debates about judicial torture.
Primo Levi : An Italian Jewish chemist and writer who survived Auschwitz and documented Nazi persecution. His testimony situates torture and violence within systems of persecution and dehumanization.
Corporal punishment : Physical punishment imposed as a penalty, commonly by judicial or institutional authority. Its legal treatment varies, while severe or intentionally abusive punishment can cross into torture.
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder : A trauma-related disorder associated with prolonged or repeated traumatic experiences, including difficulties with emotional regulation and relationships. Prolonged captivity and repeated abuse can produce lasting effects beyond a single traumatic event.
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