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us torture
by Preston Peet (ptpeet@cs.com) - October 18, 2000

The UN 'Committee Against Torture' (UNCAT) has for the first time issued a report critical of the US and the many incidents of what can only be called torture that seem to be official policy against certain segments of US society.

In its conclusions and recommendations (released May 15th, 2000), UNCAT very firmly called attention to the high number of reports in the US of "police ill-treatment of civilians, ill treatment in prisons, (including inter-prisoner violence)," calling special attention to the fact that much of the police violence seems to be discriminatory in nature, and "alleged cases of sexual assault on female detainees and prisoners by law enforcement officers, and prison personnel," stressing that women are often held in humiliating and degrading circumstances.

Also noted were the "excessively harsh 'super-maximum' prison regime," chain-gangs, incarcerating minors with adults in the regular prison population, and "the use of electro-shock devices and restraint chairs as methods of constraint," that contravene the Convention Against Torture, signed by the US in 1985, and ratified in 1994. UNCAT considered reports during their now closed 24th Session, "submitted by Poland, Portugal, China, Paraguay, El Salvador, the United States, the Netherlands and Slovenia, and delivered its conclusions and recommendations on the reports. The eight countries also sent Government delegations to appear before the Committee's ten independent experts to answer questions in keeping with their obligations as State parties to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. One hundred and nineteen countries have ratified the treaty." There are plenty in the US that can agree with some of the Committee's findings.

Take Stun Belts for instance. Ronnie Hawkins was in a Long Beach, California court on June 30th, 1998 for sentencing, convicted that April of stealing US$200 dollars worth of aspirin. This was Hawkins' 'third strike': he was facing up to 25 years in prison, and was understandably upset. After repeatedly interrupting court proceedings, not with profanities or violence, merely expressing his consternation, Municipal Court Judge Joan Comparet Cassani ordered the bailiff to zap Hawkins with 50 000 volts of electricity with the stun belt around his waist, to shut him up.

'Amnesty International' has gathered many cases similar to this in the US. There many different kinds of 'official' torture being perpetrated against US citizens in the US. US military and the CIA train assassins and torturers from all over Latin America at various 'schools', notably the 'School of the Americas', then send them back to their own countries to assist in putting down any and all insurrection, and maintain order. The 'Atlanta Journal-Constitution' newspaper (May 19th, 2000) reports on the attempt to close the 'School of the Americas', writing in one sentence that "The school is controversial because, critics say, a number of its graduates have violated basic human rights in their native countries. Heeding those concerns, the Pentagon has recommended that the academy change its name to the Defense Institute for Hemispheric Security Cooperation." Which is precisely what has happened.

The US Government has already denied that there is anywhere near the kind of severity to the allegations, with Assistant Secretary of State Harold Koh appearing before the CAT to answer the Committee's questions. "Mr. Koh told the Committee Against Torture: 'Although we are very proud of our record in eliminating torture, we acknowledge continuing areas of concern within the United States,'" reported the BBC. (May 10th, 2000)

There are those inside the US, and out, who can tell Assistant Secretary of State Koh and his bosses about those 'areas of concern', if they're ready to listen. Many have already tried!

US Government Questioned By UN Committee Against Torture, Due To Respond Tomorrow
Here is 'Amnesty International' note (May 10th, 2000) on the US government being questioned by the 'United Nations Committee Against Torture' over allegations of torture.

US Rebuked Over Torture
This 'BBC' article (May 15th, 2000) reports that the UN 'Committee on Torture' has issued a strong rebuke of the US over the numerous incidents of torture in the US, torture that appears to be almost institutionalized, and is based primarily upon discrimination. "A 10-strong panel of experts highlighted what it said were Washington's breaches of the agreement ratified by the United States in 1994," reports the article. The UN is calling for a ban on stun-belts, and restraint chairs. Also discussed is the high numbers of cases of abuse of women prisoners by guards and police.

US Rejects Torture Allegations
The 'BBC' reported (May 10th, 2000) that, "In a statement, Amnesty [International] said that 'as with other international human rights treaties, the US' respect for the Convention against Torture is only half-hearted when applied to itself,'" which is about par for the course for the freedom-loving US hierarchy.

US Called To Action By UN Committee Against Torture
This 'Amnesty International' press release (May 15th, 2000) discusses the UN Committee on Torture's rebuke of the US for not complying with the 'Convention Against Torture', which the US willingly signed 1985, and subsequently ratified in 1994.

School of Americas Reforms Are Ploy, Nun Says
This 'Toledo Blade' article (May 17th, 2000) highlights the fight against the 'School of the Americas' that has been undertaken by Sister Marge Eilerman, a Franciscan nun who contends that the organization is nothing more than a training center for torturers and assassins. The torturers subsequently go back to their countries to kill the upstart poor and their supporters who desire basic human rights.

UN report On Torture Cites Harsh Regime In US Prisons
This 'Seattle Times' article (May 16th, 2000) by Geir Moulson points out that the 'UN Committee on Torture' cited a lot more than simply a harsh regime within the US prison system.

The Abner Louima Torture Case
Read about the case of Abner Louima, tortured by 'New York Police Deparment' (NYPD) officers, who raped Louima with a broken plunger handle in NYPD precinct bathroom. Sick bastards!

Cruelty In Control: Stun Belts And Other Electroshock Weapons In Law
This is an 'Amnesty International' report (1999) on US law enforcement's use of electricity for keeping control of prisoners, and how the fact that electricity has been a favorite of torturers all over the world "for the second half of the 20th Century."

Cruel And Unusual Punishment: Stun Belt Incidents Point To Growing Concerns
This is a 1998 article by Silja J.A Talvi, about Ronnie Hawkins, a three-strike felon and petty thief who has filed a US$50 000 000 lawsuit against the judge who ordered him stunned into silence because he was interrupting the proceedings in her court. This is merely one incident among the many reports of torture of one type or another growing alarmingly throughout the US. Many police forces are taking up the use of these sadistic weapons of torture.

Sr. Dianna's Story
A 28 year old American working as a nun in Guatemala in 1989 when she was kidnapped, and taken to be burnt with cigerette over 100 times, and raped repeatedly, all under the watchful eye of an American advising the torture session. This is a bit dated now, since Guatemala released their 1999 report implicating the US in supporting all sorts of torture and other nefarious activities, but Sr. Ortiz is still out there working hard to stop the US sponsored torturers in Latin America.

Torture
Neve Gordon wrote this article (1997) on why torturers use some of the tricks they do, the devices they use, and why they torture at all.

Excerpts From The CIA's Torture Manual
This is taken from the 'Human Resource Exploitation Training Manual' (1983), used by the CIA to train Latin Americans primarily how to torture and maim, terrify and intimidate their fellow citizens.

The October 22 Coalition: Stop Police Brutality
This group is working tirelessly to bring as many incidents of police torture and misconduct to the public's attention as they possibly can, in hopes of bringing this type of behavior, on the rise over the last twenty years, to a stop.

World Organization Against Torture USA
As they put it, this group is focusing mainly on human rights issues within the US, focusing particularly on US compliance with international treaties on torture, shipments of military weapons and assistance, and the treatment of prisoners, amongst other abuses.

UN Committee Against Torture Press Release: May 16th, 2000
This UN 'Committee Against Torture' press release (May 16th, 2000) details its conclusions for the US and how it should begin addressing the rampant spread of reports involving torture, and human rights abuses. An archive of previous press releases is also included for your perusal.

Convention Against Torture And Other Cruel, Inhuman, Or Degrading Treatment Or Punishment
This is the UN convention against torture, signed by the US, which is still refusing to initiate some of the principle agreements contained therein. Adopted and open for signature, ratification, and accession by the UN 'General Assembly' (resolution 39/46), of December 10th, 1975.

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