Torture

Waterboarding -- the technique of slowly filling a subject's lungs with water, is generally considered a form of torture

Sketch of how captives in the Bagram Theater Internment Facility were prepared for interrogation in their first week of captivity. Note the sack covering the captive's head.

The United Nations General Assembly defines torture as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, 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." It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions." It excludes pain and suffering caused by lawful sanctions, such as corporal or capital punishment. The definition of 'torture' is subject to considerable debate, however, due to the ethical and political questions surrounding torture.

Torture in classical times

Ancient peoples are known to have inflicted extreme pain as a punishment, without necessarily intending death. Some means of capital punishment were meant to be extremely painful, such as crucifixion, impalement, boiling alive, being torn apart by draft animals, etc., were intended to be fatal, to cause a long agonizing death.

Trial by ordeal

During the middle ages criminal suspects were subjected to painful ordeals which were regarded as opportunities to prove their innocence.

The inquisition

The Roman Catholic Church had an institution, the inquisition, tasked to detecting, and suppressing, heresy. Officials in the inquisition were authorized to employ a variety of painful procedures -- both during questioning, and as a form of punishment.

Torture in modern times

Torture has continued to be used in modern times. However, instances when torture has been used by countries that consider themselves respecters of human rights do occur.