Changes

"...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."<ref>[http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureDefinition]</ref>

"...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."<ref>http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureDefinition</ref>

Torture is widely practised in many countries throughout the world as a means of intimidating the ruling regime's opponents. Since 1997, incidences of torture or ill treatment by the police have been reported in over 140 different countries.<ref>[http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureContext]</ref> By far most commonly reported method of torture is physical beatings - other commonly reported methods include:<ref>[http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureMethods]</ref>

Torture is widely practised in many countries throughout the world as a means of intimidating the ruling regime's opponents. Since 1997, incidences of torture or ill treatment by the police have been reported in over 140 different countries.<ref>http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureContext</ref> By far most commonly reported method of torture is physical beatings - other commonly reported methods include:<ref>http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureMethods</ref>

The US has been criticized for using [[waterboarding]] as a [[coercive interrogation]] technique, on the grounds that it amounts to [[torture]].<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1933315,00.html</ref>,  

The US has been criticized for using [[waterboarding]] as a [[coercive interrogation]] technique, on the grounds that it amounts to [[torture]].<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1933315,00.html</ref>,  

as an interrogation method at the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]]<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,,1981955,00.html]</ref>  

as an interrogation method at the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]]<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,,1981955,00.html</ref>  

<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=377623&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490]</ref>  

<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=377623&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490</ref>  

<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3706050.stm]</ref> and also kidnapping people of Middle Eastern descent in a process known as [[extraordinary rendition]].

<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3706050.stm</ref> and also kidnapping people of Middle Eastern descent in a process known as [[extraordinary rendition]].

The US maintains that its [[coercive interrogation]] techniques are not "[[torture]]" (see [[McCain Amendment]]).  

The US maintains that its [[coercive interrogation]] techniques are not "[[torture]]" (see [[McCain Amendment]]).  

== References ==

== References ==

<references/>

<references/>

==External links==

==External links==

*[http://www.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief/14/2devos.pdf?rd=1 Mind the Gap: Purpose, Pain, and the Difference between Torture and Inhuman Treatment] by Christian M. De Vos

*[http://www.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief/14/2devos.pdf?rd=1 Mind the Gap: Purpose, Pain, and the Difference between Torture and Inhuman Treatment] by Christian M. De Vos