26 Nov Taser Can Be Torture says UN Committee Against Torture
26.11.07
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The United Nations Committee Against Torture has issued a statement condemning some uses of tasers as a form of torture that violates the U.N. Convention Against Torture. I don’t have a link to their report, and I would be curious to see their analysis. Which kinds of taser use constitutes torture? Or is tasering something that automatically violates the cruel, inhuman, and degrading prohibitions? One interesting question is whether other countries adopt this interpretation of the Convention and just how much influence the UN Committee Against Torture might have.
Julian, The reference seems to have been in the Committee’s concluding comments on Portugal’s report, not as part of a general comment (which the CAT almost never issues, anyway). Here’s the relevant paragraph. It doesn’t provide any analysis, but it does seem to be a blanket condemnation of this type of taser as causing severe pain (douleur aigue, which is also the term used in Art. 1 of the French-language version of the CAT) constituting torture. Only the French version has been released – the full report is here. Utilisation d’armes “TaserX26” 14. Le Comité est vivement préoccupé par l’acquisition récente par l’État partie d’armes électriques « TaserX26 » devant être distribuées au Commandement Métropolitain de Lisbonne, au Corps d’Intervention, au Groupe d’Opérations Spéciales et au Corps de Sécurité Personnelle. Le Comité s’inquiète de ce que l’usage de ces armes provoque une douleur aigüe, constituant une forme de torture, et que dans certains cas, il peut même causer la mort, ainsi que l’ont révélé des études fiables et des faits récents survenus dans la pratique. (articles premier et 16) L’État partie devrait envisager de renoncer à l’usage des armes électriques « TaserX26 » dont les conséquences sur l’état physique et… Read more »
For a lawyerly discussion it is worth observing what is often overlooked by journalists, that ‘TASER’ is a product brand that is often used in a generic sense, similar to ‘Xerox’. Here, the UN CAT report refers to a specific model of TASER, the X26. If you look it up, the X26 is a very powerful electro-shock application device. I am sure it hurts like a SOB. But is it per se torture? Here’s the Google Translate version: Using weapons “TaserX26” 14. The Committee is deeply concerned by the recent acquisition by the State party electrical weapons “TaserX26” to be distributed at Metropolitan Command Lisbon, Intervention Unit, Special Operations Group and the Personal Security Unit. The Committee is concerned that the use of such weapons causes acute pain, as a form of torture, and in some cases, it can even cause death, as has been proved reliable studies and facts recent developments in practice. (Articles I and 16) The State party should consider relinquishing the use of arms electric “TaserX26” whose consequences on the physical and mental condition of people targeted would be likely to violate the articles I and 16 of the Convention. While the new U.S. attorney general… Read more »