Is it ever justified to use extreme measures on individuals to protect the security of the public?
“Torture is the action or practice of inflicting severe pain on someone as a punishment or in order to force them to do or say something” – The Oxford Dictionary.
Torture is a word which doesn’t crop up too often, but when it does, I’m sure everyone will have their views firmly in place. The act of torturing, I’m pretty sure has been prevalent ever since time began: enforced more so with the Medieval era or the arrival of Colonialism and Imperialism. It once was the ‘norm’ to brutalise an entire population or race –
can you imagine?!
In today’s world, we rarely see acts of torture in a realistic context. Sure, we have all heard about it on the news, but it doesn’t happen close to home, and if you think like me, I kind of disregard it. I know, I know; It’s terrible, but I am blinkered when it comes to these sorts of things. Capital punishment was abolished in the UK in 1965, with the death penalty being abolished under the human rights act in 1998 (albeit had not been applied since). In 2004, it was prohibited by the European Convention on human rights to restore the death penalty – for as long as the UK was part of the convention.
But, do you think that it is ever justified to use extreme measures on individuals to protect the security of the public?
In a recent Guardian article, it has been revealed that it is possible that the United Nations may be imposing torture procedures to extract information and evidence on Al-Qaida suspects. It is estimated that over three hundred people worldwide are on the UN’s sanctions list in connection with the Taliban and Al-Qaida. The ethical issue arose when the UN’s special rapporteur for counter-terrorism, Ben Emmerson QC, questioned the honesty of the agencies method of acquiring its intelligence.
Read the full article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/nov/11/un-torture-evidence-terror-suspects
How can anybody condone torture? It makes me feel sick to my stomach that the United Nations is potentially torturing human beings! I find it ironic that the UN could be involved in such a scandal when it stands for the maintenance of international peace and promotes the cooperation of solving issues involving international economic, social and humanitarian problems. The UN comittees ombudsman, Kimberley Prost, released a statement stating that she was aware of claims being made regarding torture and feels it is an issue which needs to be addressed. If this is the case, we need to ask why?!
Do you think that the UN are using torture tactics as a way to protect the public or are they purely flouting their integrity?
I Completely understand and agree that if someone does pose a threat to society, then they should be apprehended immediately, but if that means torturing others to find out their whereabouts, I’m a little unsettled by that. However, I can’t think of any other methods of humanely extracting information. I’m at a loss here! How can anybody even trust the validity of what someone says, if they are being tortured, as this can be a highly unreliable avenue to ascertain evidence.
How do you feel about the use of torture? Is the life of an individual being tortured justifiable for the greater security of the public?
Let’ s start the debate!
Josh
Everything Ethics 