ISCI is a cross-disciplinary research centre working to further our understanding of state crime: organisational deviance violating human rights

Torture

torture

Torture is a specific form of state violence. In practice, the boundaries of torture are subject to vigorous debate for instance, does a tortured person have to be detained? Can rape be a form of torture? Where does psychological pressure, or degrading treatment, end and torture begin? These questions illustrate the ongoing contentious nature of how torture is defined, legitimised or challenged.