The History of Torture

Torture––the deliberate infliction of pain upon the human body––is condemned by most civilized countries, but it is still practiced in many parts of the modern world. For over 3,000 years, it was regarded as not only acceptable but a necessary means of discovering truth. The absence of most other methods of criminal investigation in earlier times tended to justify its use, but "crime" could cover a multitude of activities that were considered contrary to the existing social order. As long as torture remained a part of legal practice, the techniques of torturers––horrific though they were––were generally subject to a degree of control. In more recent times, however, notably during World War II, the torturers have been sadists who derived pleasure from subjecting their victims to terrible suffering. Since 1961, Amnesty International has sought a worldwide ban on torture. But some countries continue to use the rack, the thumbscrews, the "boot", electric shock treatment and other horrifying methods.