International Law: Torture amps - Research Paper Example

International law, Torture camps

• Abstract

The study represents an in-depth analysis on the existence of the torture camps all over the world. Although international laws against torture are there in almost all countries of the world but they are not properly followed to stop the ghastly acts of these torture prisoners. The research paper will provide a clear picture of the actual reasons of the tortures and inhuman activities of the soldiers to the detainees of these prisons. It also describes the impact of the abuses to the prisoners and their family members. However, many newspaper articles publish about these activities which are responsible for creation of severe bad impact on the minds of the people across the world.

• Introduction

International laws are set of regulations that are formulated in order to bind the relations between the countries and states. Conventions are there against torture and other degrading inhuman treatment to human beings around the world. United Nations Convention is one of the conventions that are being formulated against inhuman practices. The United Nations Convention has four sections against torture. Part 1 of the convention contains definition of torture. Part II contains monitoring and reporting of the law and the steps for implementation. Part III of the convention contains entry into force, ratification and amendment of the law. Mechanisms of optional arbitration are included in the convention for controlling disputes among the parties. In many torture camps or prisons human beings are tortured in extreme level which is not justified at all. Torture camps like Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay face extreme tortures to the prisoners in the camp. The abuses in these prisons include murder, torture, rapes, sodomy, etc. The humanitarian organizations of United States such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Red Cross do not support the abuses occurred in these prisons. These organizations proved that the tortures and abuses in these prison torture camps are not isolated incidents. Rather these abuses are a part of American detention center. The research paper focuses on the existence of torture camps. The hypothesis statement of the study is that International laws and conventions against torture are not active enough to stop the level of torture in these prisons.

• Literature Review

According to Viki, Osgood and Philips (2013), dehumanization is referred as a psychological process which underlies willingness of people for torturing members of out-group. Research has been done on the people following Christianity and Muslim target out-group prisoners. On doing primary research on these participants of Christian religion, the authors find that the Christian people torture the Muslim prisoners. Dehumanization is practiced by the Christians to the prisoners of war. As there is a difference of religion between the torturer and the prisoners, it is a factor that provokes the Christian torturers for dehumanization of Muslim prisoners. Rule is there for giving punishment to the prisoners. But there is a huge difference between giving punishment and abusing or torturing prisoners due to hatred. Relationship is found between self-reported proclivity and dehumanization practice. In the report it is found that dehumanization is closely related to self-willingness to torture. When the threat is high due to genocide and war, the level of torture and dehumanization by the soldiers is very strong (Viki, Osgood and Philips 326).

As stated by Mastroianni (2013), torture is done in extreme level in Abu Ghraib prison. In 2003, a group of soldiers in Iraq criminally abused the prisoners and detainees at the prison. Two different narratives were emerged in order to describe the event. The names of the two narratives are “bad barrel” and “bad apple”. The soldiers did these brutal tortures and abuses to the prisoners of Iraq due to many reasons. Confusing and chaotic policy changes, storm of poor leadership etc. provoked the soldiers for torturing the detainees. The result of these activities in the prison of Abu Ghraib had global consequences in other parts of the world. 2003, is the year of war between United States and Iraq. The conflict extended in a longer phase which led to emergence of insurgency opposing the occupying force and Iraqi government. The government of United States acts as occupying forces during insurgency. Iraqi government and United States government tortured the criminals in the prison during the coalition of United States for occupying Iraq. Prisoner rape, systematic torture, etc. are the forms of abuses that are performed by the soldiers in the Abu Ghraib prison. The government of United States does not put any headache and acknowledge the abuses done by the U.S soldiers to the suspected criminals and prisoners of Abu Ghraib (Mastroianni 53).

As stated by Bartone (2010), abuses of soldiers of United States at Abu Ghraib prison had significant consequences around the world. The torture level is very extreme in these torture camps of Black Sites, Guatanamo detention camp, etc. Many people across the world have doubts in the legitimacy goals of United States and their different activities in Iraq. Views of Bartone forecast about the socio-situational and psychological factors which are responsible for the failure of ethical values of the soldiers. The soldiers of the prison should be infused with ethical values so that the level of punishment is kept within the limit. Inhuman activities to prisoners should be stopped by them. Leaders of the organization controlling the activities of prison should focus on the activities of the soldiers practicing inhuman torture to the prisoners. The leaders should tune to the developmental stages of the soldiers and required steps should be taken in order to reinforce the ethical behaviors within the mind of the soldiers. It will help to reduce the torture level of the U.S. soldiers to the Iraqi prisoners. From psychological perspective, minds of young adult are sensitive and can be easily moulded by any circumstances. Minds of young adults are inclined in a way so that they behave in accord with the influence of social conventions. Laws should be implemented and enacted in order to prevent the abuse level in the torture camps (Bartone 165).

According to Brenner (2010), detainees of Guantanamo Bay have prolonged exposures of many mental stresses and physical health consequences. Because of the extreme abuse of the soldiers of United States, the criminals of the torture camp become victims of several distresses like functional impairments, medical problems, high level of psychiatric disorders, etc. The consequences that occurred due to torture of the soldiers to the prisoners are severe in nature. Consequences are not only limited to the physical and mental disorders of the individual but also hampers the family of the prisoners and society at large. The damages of the detainees are severe in nature. The prisoners of Guantanamo Bay are compared to other asylum seekers, prisoners of war, etc. The author finds parallel connection between these categories of prisoners. Comparison is drawn from these categories of prisoners in order to measure the level of torture faced by the detainees of Guantanamo Bay campus. The families of the detainees are also facing mental stresses after having knowledge about the torture activities of the U.S. soldiers. View of the author is focused on preventing the inhuman treatment to the detainees of the torture camps and providing care for these sections of mistreated people. Punishment level and torture level should be controlled by the government of United States to the prisoners of the camps all over the nation (Brenner 475).

• Methodology

Research methodology is referred as theoretical and systematic analysis of the methods that are applied in the field of research. Methodology of this research work consists of principles or the formulae used in the topics of research and the analysis of the research topic. The subject of research is ineffectiveness of international law in reducing or rather banning the torture or abuses in the torture camps or prisoners. Information about the torture level of the prisoners is collected from peer reviewed journals and other valuable newspaper articles. Qualitative research methods are used in this research topic for gaining an in-depth understanding of the level of abuses in the torture camps. Qualitative research is the best method for this research topic because empirical support is needed for the hypothesis of the topic. The research paper is centered on the ineffectiveness of International law to stop the inhuman activities by the U.S soldiers. Qualitative research methods are used usually on the research topics of political science. Secondary research, valuable opinions, information of torture level in these camps is collected from peer-reviewed journals. However, secondary research is more reliable in this case because the data are already analyzed by experts. Hence, the validity of the data is more than any other sources.

• Analysis

Torture level of the soldiers in the torture camps all over the world has become a sensitive point of concern for the prisoners and the population of the world. From the data collected from secondary research, it is clearly reflected that the soldiers and militaries present in the torture camps are practicing inhuman activities to the detainees of the prisons. It also shows that governments of the countries are not paying any attention to the brutal tortures done by the soldiers to the detainees. Impact of these activities is very severe in nature. In the Guantanamo detention camp, there are many detainees who attempted suicides due to the psychological effect of torture of the soldiers. In 2011, six suicide attempts were reported in the Guantanamo detention camp. August 2003 faced 23 suicide attempts of the detainees. However, the officials of the country have not said anything about the suicidal attempts of the prisoners of the camp. Neither had they said anything about the inhuman brutal tortures of the soldiers. Pentagon had classified the attempts of suicides of the detainees as manipulative self-injurious behaviors. The physicians who were associated with the treatment had also alleged that the prisoners did not want to end their lives genuinely according to their own wish. Apart from that 41 suicidal attempts are also reported by the officials of this torture camps. Many international laws related to torture are violated in these prisons. Research shows that many prisoners below 18 years are captured in the camp. They are also tortured by the U.S. soldiers. For instance, 22 minors under 18 years of age are detained in the Guantanamo camp (Olesen 720). The tortures of the soldiers are due to the hatred level inside the minds towards people of other religion especially Muslims. It is found that the U.S soldiers in the torture camp of Guantanamo camp create mental torture to the Muslim prisoners. Same treatment is also faced by Muslim prisoners in the Abu Ghraib torture camps. Many sexual abuses are done to the prisoners of Abu Ghraib which lead to a bad psychological impact on the minds of the detainees. Media reports are there which forecasts about the inhuman treatment of the Iraqi prisoners in the torture camps. For instances, Associated Press report of America in 2003 published a report on the brutal inhuman torture of the detainees of Abu Ghraib prison as well as other Americans prisons at Iraq (Caton and Zacka 207). The detainees are interviewed by the journalists about their conditions at the prison. Americans are also tortured by the Iraqi soldiers in the American prisons at Iraq. The research paper focuses on banning of torture in the prisoners. The torture camps should be closed by implementing international laws against abuses. The data reflects that there are laws regarding to torture but they are not implemented at the course of action. However, the publication of peer reviewed journals and newspaper articles on the brutal activities practiced in these torture camps are responsible for suspension of many U.S soldiers. The data shows that there is massive abuse in the perspectives of human rights in the prisons and the torture camps. The level of torture reaches to force drugging, prosecution of religion, sexual degradation, etc.

The media coverage, journals, newspapers cover pictures, stories of the detainees of several torture camps are creating a very ill effect not only on the minds of the family members of the detainees but also to the society as a whole. Americans usually hate Iraqi people and the Iraqi people also hate the Americans. American prisoners are also tortured by the Iraqi soldiers for revenge. Ultimately this results into terrorism. Violence is increasing day by day. Perceptions of people of Iraq, United States as well as other countries of the world are affected by these brutal tortures of the soldiers of prisoners across the world. International laws are not strong enough to stop the extreme tortures of the soldiers. The activities against human rights are not only illegal but also it is the source of cause of war between two nations. The Supreme Court has passed many laws against torture. But the Bush administration ignores implementation of laws against torture within the nation. Many cases are filed in Supreme Court against the violation of human rights in United States (Hafner-Burton, Emilie and Shapiro 417). But the government of United States is not willing to support the Iraqi prisoners. The Combatant State Review Tribunals of United States has tried to afford some detainees protections from constitutions. According to the authority, prisoners do not have any right to cross examine the witnesses presented by Government in the court of law; detainees are not allowed to counsel. Apart from that, there are many International laws passed for the restriction of tortures in the prisoners and Black Sites.

The data regarding the existence of torture camps clearly shows that government of the country is not paying much attention to the violation of human rights in case of the prisoners of torture camps. In the research it is also found that the torture camps are not only limited in United States but also in countries like Germany, Egypt, Iraq, etc. There are many secret torture camps in Afghanistan, America, Egypt, and Iraq where prisoners are kept secretly and are extremely tortured by the soldiers of those countries. The humanitarian organizations like Red Cross have pointed out many brutal inhuman activities of these detainees but the governments of these countries are not taking any strong action in order to stop the abuses of military or soldiers (Mountz 390). The government regulations are strict enough to bring the detainees of these prisoners to the normal prisons. Polices of normal prisons do not torture extremely to the criminals. The level of punishment is in control in the normal prison when compared to torture camps.

• Conclusion

International laws against torture in many countries are not able to stop the brutal tortures of the secret torture camps. There are many secret torture camps are present in many countries of the world. Facilities of torture prisons are found in the countries of Thailand, Lithuania, Romania, Poland, Afghanistan, Cuba, Iraq, etc. In the CIA surveillance program, Barack Obama promised to close a torture prison. Obama administration has many regulations and clause against the tortures and in favor of the detainees. Among all the torture camps of the world, Guantanamo Bay of Cuba is well-known for its ghastly acts of tortures. In this prison, prisoners are abused at the extreme level. A part of Obama administration is focused on the restriction of violation of human rights especially in this torture camps. But from six years, the administration is not implemented from the base level. Rate of torture is not at all banned in all the torture camps across the world. The research paper focuses on the causes and flaws of international tow against torture on existence of the torture camps across the world. However, to reduce the rate of terrorism in the world, these activities should be banned for the benefit of mankind.