What is Torture? This might seem to be a simple question but the sliding slope of mistreatment and abuse makes defining torture a complex legal issue. Torture is defined by the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) June 1987. Article 1 (1) in the following way:
“For the purposes of this Convention, the term "torture" means 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.”
The definition of Torture by the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) is as follows:
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 36 United Nations Declar...MedicalWhistleblower
The United Nations recognized the vital role of human rights defenders and the UN was convinced that these human rights defenders need to be protected from retaliation for reporting violations of human rights of others. The UN formally defined the defense of human rights as a right in itself and to recognize persons who undertake human rights work as “Human Rights Defenders.”The Resolution 53/144 was adopted in order to protect both human rights defenders and their activities. This is commonly known as the “Declaration on human rights defenders.”
This report to the UN Universal Periodic Review is provided by Medical Whistleblower1 both as an
individual stakeholder and as an advocacy network, including - Whistleblowing Airline Employees
Association2, and the Illinois Family Court Accountability Advocates3. Medical Whistleblower joins with
an array of U.S.A. organizations and individuals that are concerned about U.S.A.’s failure to implement its
international human rights commitments to human rights defenders. Medical Whistleblower is located in
Lawrence, KS, USA and was established in 2001 to meet the advocacy needs of persons who have stepped
forward to provide information about medical fraud against vulnerable populations, patient abuse and
neglect, and human rights violations. Many are mandated reporters under state or US federal law.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 36 United Nations Declar...MedicalWhistleblower
The United Nations recognized the vital role of human rights defenders and the UN was convinced that these human rights defenders need to be protected from retaliation for reporting violations of human rights of others. The UN formally defined the defense of human rights as a right in itself and to recognize persons who undertake human rights work as “Human Rights Defenders.”The Resolution 53/144 was adopted in order to protect both human rights defenders and their activities. This is commonly known as the “Declaration on human rights defenders.”
Medical Whistleblowers are human rights defenders. The Hippocratic Oath taken by every Medical Doctor states the Doctors’ responsibility to care for the sick, to report on the welfare of the individual patient and also guard against any bias in the medical care system in relationship to any class of persons. The central moral commitment of the Hippocratic traditional code is its dedication to something other than the physician’s self-interest, that something being the primacy of the welfare of the patient. The Medical Doctor’s clear obligation is to detect and prevent abuse and neglect. Medical Whistleblowers promote the well-being of patients by taking appropriate actions to avert the harms caused by violence and abuse. The duty of the Doctor is to not only address patients’ immediate injuries, but also the psychological and social needs of victims. Medical Whistleblowers need to work closely in conjunction with members of the public safety and law enforcement communities. In the U.S.A. there is mandated reporting of any signs of violence, abuse, or suspicious injuries. This places the Medical Whistleblower in the position of being a human rights defender and possibly facing retaliation by politically or economically powerful adversaries. In the political international context, medical professionals are some of the first reporters of violations of human rights. Medical Whistleblowers report the abuse of the elderly in hospital and nursing home settings, the financial and civil rights violation by guardians of the mentally ill, sexual assault of vulnerable youth in the foster care system, male upon male rape in prisons, neglect or abuse of refugees, and brutality against prisoners of war or psychological torture of terrorist suspects. Often Medical Fraud goes hand in hand with the violation of the patient’s human rights. Criminals who defraud the US Medicaid system by fraudulent charges, false reports and unnecessary procedures on vulnerable patients, do not care that they are causing physical, emotional and financial harm to vulnerable children and adults. These criminals deliberately seek out persons who by their very medical condition, disability, cognitive difficulty, legal immigration status, nationality, or disease state are particularly vulnerable. The right of opinion and expression of Medical Whistleblowers needs to be protected in order to protect these vulnerable patients.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 37 Witness Intimidation ...MedicalWhistleblower
Witness intimidation involves witnesses crucial
to court proceedings being threatened in
order to pressure or extort them not to testify.
The term “witness” is used to refer both to victims
and to bystanders who could provide information
to police. The term “victim” is used to denote the victim of the initial crime. The
refusal of key witnesses to testify commonly renders a case with inadequate physical
evidence void in a court of law. This is a significant problem that has many lawmakers
considering tough penalties for intimidating a witness as in example the state of Kansas,
where it is a criminal misdemeanor, or, if found to be aggravated a felony.
How common is witness intimidation? It is difficult to know because the crime is greatly
under reported and also when intimidation is successful neither the intimidation nor the
original crime are reported. Many witnesses drop out of the investigation process long
before an indictment or court appearance. Witness intimidation plays a role in many
types of crime. Witness intimidation, however, is not the same as repeat victimization.
Although in both cases the same offenders may be responsible for multiple events, their
motives are different. In witness intimidation, the intent is to discourage the victim from
reporting a crime to police or from cooperating with prosecutors, whereas in repeat victimization,
the motive is often acquisitive.
Medical Whistleblowers who witness criminal activity or have been victimized by a crime
are sometimes reluctant to come forward and report incidents to police or to assist in the
prosecution of offenders. In the medical community there are generalized community
norms that discourage doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from cooperating
with a criminal investigation.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 11 Psychiatric Rights &am...MedicalWhistleblower
The Declaration of the Rights of Disabled Persons was adopted by the United Nations in 1975. It defines ‘disabled person’ to mean ‘any person unable to ensure by himself or herself, wholly or partly, the necessities of normal individual and/or social life, as a result of deficiency, whether congenital or not, in his or her physical or mental capacities’. This definition includes people with a mental illness, whether or not they also have other disabilities. The Declaration recognizes that people with disabilities are entitled to:
• The inherent right to respect for their human dignity; The same fundamental human rights as other citizens, whatever the origin nature and seriousness of their handicaps and disabilities, including the right to a decent life - as normal and full as possible;
• The right to legal safeguards against abuse of any limitation of rights made necessary by the severity of a person’s handicap, including regular review and the right of appeal;
• The right to any necessary treatment, rehabilitation, education, training and other services to help develop their skills and capabilities to the maximum;
• The right to economic and social security and the right, according to their capabilities, to secure and retain productive employment and to join trade unions;
• The right to have their needs considered in economic and social planning; The right to family life, the right to participate in all social, recreational and creative activities and the right not to be subjected to more restrictive conditions of residence than necessary;
• The right to protection against exploitation or discriminatory, abusive or degrading treatment;
• The right to qualified legal assistance to protect their rights, and to have their condition taken fully into account in any legal proceedings.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 36 United Nations Declar...MedicalWhistleblower
The United Nations recognized the vital role of human rights defenders and the UN was convinced that these human rights defenders need to be protected from retaliation for reporting violations of human rights of others. The UN formally defined the defense of human rights as a right in itself and to recognize persons who undertake human rights work as “Human Rights Defenders.”The Resolution 53/144 was adopted in order to protect both human rights defenders and their activities. This is commonly known as the “Declaration on human rights defenders.”
This report to the UN Universal Periodic Review is provided by Medical Whistleblower1 both as an
individual stakeholder and as an advocacy network, including - Whistleblowing Airline Employees
Association2, and the Illinois Family Court Accountability Advocates3. Medical Whistleblower joins with
an array of U.S.A. organizations and individuals that are concerned about U.S.A.’s failure to implement its
international human rights commitments to human rights defenders. Medical Whistleblower is located in
Lawrence, KS, USA and was established in 2001 to meet the advocacy needs of persons who have stepped
forward to provide information about medical fraud against vulnerable populations, patient abuse and
neglect, and human rights violations. Many are mandated reporters under state or US federal law.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 36 United Nations Declar...MedicalWhistleblower
The United Nations recognized the vital role of human rights defenders and the UN was convinced that these human rights defenders need to be protected from retaliation for reporting violations of human rights of others. The UN formally defined the defense of human rights as a right in itself and to recognize persons who undertake human rights work as “Human Rights Defenders.”The Resolution 53/144 was adopted in order to protect both human rights defenders and their activities. This is commonly known as the “Declaration on human rights defenders.”
Medical Whistleblowers are human rights defenders. The Hippocratic Oath taken by every Medical Doctor states the Doctors’ responsibility to care for the sick, to report on the welfare of the individual patient and also guard against any bias in the medical care system in relationship to any class of persons. The central moral commitment of the Hippocratic traditional code is its dedication to something other than the physician’s self-interest, that something being the primacy of the welfare of the patient. The Medical Doctor’s clear obligation is to detect and prevent abuse and neglect. Medical Whistleblowers promote the well-being of patients by taking appropriate actions to avert the harms caused by violence and abuse. The duty of the Doctor is to not only address patients’ immediate injuries, but also the psychological and social needs of victims. Medical Whistleblowers need to work closely in conjunction with members of the public safety and law enforcement communities. In the U.S.A. there is mandated reporting of any signs of violence, abuse, or suspicious injuries. This places the Medical Whistleblower in the position of being a human rights defender and possibly facing retaliation by politically or economically powerful adversaries. In the political international context, medical professionals are some of the first reporters of violations of human rights. Medical Whistleblowers report the abuse of the elderly in hospital and nursing home settings, the financial and civil rights violation by guardians of the mentally ill, sexual assault of vulnerable youth in the foster care system, male upon male rape in prisons, neglect or abuse of refugees, and brutality against prisoners of war or psychological torture of terrorist suspects. Often Medical Fraud goes hand in hand with the violation of the patient’s human rights. Criminals who defraud the US Medicaid system by fraudulent charges, false reports and unnecessary procedures on vulnerable patients, do not care that they are causing physical, emotional and financial harm to vulnerable children and adults. These criminals deliberately seek out persons who by their very medical condition, disability, cognitive difficulty, legal immigration status, nationality, or disease state are particularly vulnerable. The right of opinion and expression of Medical Whistleblowers needs to be protected in order to protect these vulnerable patients.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 37 Witness Intimidation ...MedicalWhistleblower
Witness intimidation involves witnesses crucial
to court proceedings being threatened in
order to pressure or extort them not to testify.
The term “witness” is used to refer both to victims
and to bystanders who could provide information
to police. The term “victim” is used to denote the victim of the initial crime. The
refusal of key witnesses to testify commonly renders a case with inadequate physical
evidence void in a court of law. This is a significant problem that has many lawmakers
considering tough penalties for intimidating a witness as in example the state of Kansas,
where it is a criminal misdemeanor, or, if found to be aggravated a felony.
How common is witness intimidation? It is difficult to know because the crime is greatly
under reported and also when intimidation is successful neither the intimidation nor the
original crime are reported. Many witnesses drop out of the investigation process long
before an indictment or court appearance. Witness intimidation plays a role in many
types of crime. Witness intimidation, however, is not the same as repeat victimization.
Although in both cases the same offenders may be responsible for multiple events, their
motives are different. In witness intimidation, the intent is to discourage the victim from
reporting a crime to police or from cooperating with prosecutors, whereas in repeat victimization,
the motive is often acquisitive.
Medical Whistleblowers who witness criminal activity or have been victimized by a crime
are sometimes reluctant to come forward and report incidents to police or to assist in the
prosecution of offenders. In the medical community there are generalized community
norms that discourage doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from cooperating
with a criminal investigation.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 11 Psychiatric Rights &am...MedicalWhistleblower
The Declaration of the Rights of Disabled Persons was adopted by the United Nations in 1975. It defines ‘disabled person’ to mean ‘any person unable to ensure by himself or herself, wholly or partly, the necessities of normal individual and/or social life, as a result of deficiency, whether congenital or not, in his or her physical or mental capacities’. This definition includes people with a mental illness, whether or not they also have other disabilities. The Declaration recognizes that people with disabilities are entitled to:
• The inherent right to respect for their human dignity; The same fundamental human rights as other citizens, whatever the origin nature and seriousness of their handicaps and disabilities, including the right to a decent life - as normal and full as possible;
• The right to legal safeguards against abuse of any limitation of rights made necessary by the severity of a person’s handicap, including regular review and the right of appeal;
• The right to any necessary treatment, rehabilitation, education, training and other services to help develop their skills and capabilities to the maximum;
• The right to economic and social security and the right, according to their capabilities, to secure and retain productive employment and to join trade unions;
• The right to have their needs considered in economic and social planning; The right to family life, the right to participate in all social, recreational and creative activities and the right not to be subjected to more restrictive conditions of residence than necessary;
• The right to protection against exploitation or discriminatory, abusive or degrading treatment;
• The right to qualified legal assistance to protect their rights, and to have their condition taken fully into account in any legal proceedings.
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...Purvi P. Patel
The final presentation of my Applied Learning Experience Presentation (ALE), the thesis requirement for my Masters of Public Health degree. The National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI) served as the host organization for my project. The final community presentation/defense was presented to the Tufts Medical School community in December 2009.
DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic CleansingMYO AUNG Myanmar
http://knowledgenuts.com/2015/08/02/the-difference-between-ethnic-cleansing-and-genocide/
The Difference Between Ethnic Cleansing And Genocide
By Debra Kelly on Sunday, August 2, 2015
http://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1984&context=sulr
Expanding the Crime of Genocide to Include Ethnic
Cleansing: A Return to Established Principles in Light of
Contemporary Interpretations
https://www.menorahreview.org/article.aspx?id=63
Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide: Similarities and Differences
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing
Ethnic cleansing
http://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/ethnic-cleansing.html
Ethnic Cleansing
http://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.html
Genocide
http://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/crimes-against-humanity.html
Crimes Against Humanity
https://www.academia.edu/30464193/The_Difference_between_Genocide_and_Ethnic_Cleansing
The Difference between Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/whats-the-difference-between-genocide-and-ethnic-cleansing
What’s the difference between genocide and ethnic cleansing?
https://www.cato.org/blog/ethnic-cleansing-vs-genocide-politics-behind-labeling-rohingya-crisis
Ethnic Cleansing vs. Genocide:
The Politics Behind Labeling the
Rohingya Crisis
http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/difference-between-ethnic-cleansing-and-genocide/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/difference-between-genocide-ethnic-cleansing-kagusthan-ariaratnam/
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera EpidemicStanleylucas
This report addresses the responsibility of the United Nations (U.N.) for the cholera epidemic in Haiti—one of the largest cholera epidemics in modern history. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the evidence that the U.N. brought cholera
to Haiti, relevant international legal and humanitarian standards necessary to understand U.N. accountability, and steps that the U.N. and other key national and international actors must take to rectify this harm. Despite overwhelming evidence linking the U.N. Mission for the Stabilization in Haiti (MINUSTAH)1 to the outbreak, the U.N. has denied responsibility for causing the epidemic. The organization has refused to adjudicate legal claims from cholera victims or to otherwise remedy the harms
they have suffered. By causing the epidemic and then refusing to provide redress to those affected, the U.N. has breached its commitments to the Government of Haiti, its obligations under international law, and principles of humanitarian relief. Now, nearly four years after the epidemic began, the U.N. is leading efforts to eliminate cholera but has still not taken responsibility for its own actions. As new infections continue to mount, accountability for the U.N.’s failures in Haiti is as important as ever.
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en HaitiStanleylucas
Le rapport établit la responsabilité des soldats Népalais de la mission des Nations Unies (MINUSTAH) qui ont amené la bactérie choléra en Haiti et a cause l'épidémie. L'épidémie de la MINUSTAH a tuée plus de 7500 Haïtiens et contaminée près de 800.000. Jusqu'a présent les Nations Unies malgré les preuves scientifiques refusent d'admettre leur responsabilité. Les Haïtiens vont se battre jusqu'a ce que cette injustice soit réparée.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a natural emotional reaction to a deeply shocking and disturbing experience. It is a normalreaction to an abnormalsituation.
•Any human being has the potential to develop PTSD
•Cause external –Psychiatric Injury not Mental Illness
•Not resulting from the individual’s personality –Victim is not inherently weak or inferior
Qualitative Research on Health as a Human Right in Lewis & Clark County, Mont...Purvi P. Patel
The final presentation of my Applied Learning Experience Presentation (ALE), the thesis requirement for my Masters of Public Health degree. The National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI) served as the host organization for my project. The final community presentation/defense was presented to the Tufts Medical School community in December 2009.
DEFINITIONS-Genocide-Crimes Against Humanity-War Crimes-Ethnic CleansingMYO AUNG Myanmar
http://knowledgenuts.com/2015/08/02/the-difference-between-ethnic-cleansing-and-genocide/
The Difference Between Ethnic Cleansing And Genocide
By Debra Kelly on Sunday, August 2, 2015
http://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1984&context=sulr
Expanding the Crime of Genocide to Include Ethnic
Cleansing: A Return to Established Principles in Light of
Contemporary Interpretations
https://www.menorahreview.org/article.aspx?id=63
Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide: Similarities and Differences
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing
Ethnic cleansing
http://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/ethnic-cleansing.html
Ethnic Cleansing
http://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.html
Genocide
http://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/crimes-against-humanity.html
Crimes Against Humanity
https://www.academia.edu/30464193/The_Difference_between_Genocide_and_Ethnic_Cleansing
The Difference between Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/whats-the-difference-between-genocide-and-ethnic-cleansing
What’s the difference between genocide and ethnic cleansing?
https://www.cato.org/blog/ethnic-cleansing-vs-genocide-politics-behind-labeling-rohingya-crisis
Ethnic Cleansing vs. Genocide:
The Politics Behind Labeling the
Rohingya Crisis
http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/difference-between-ethnic-cleansing-and-genocide/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/difference-between-genocide-ethnic-cleansing-kagusthan-ariaratnam/
Yale Study: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera EpidemicStanleylucas
This report addresses the responsibility of the United Nations (U.N.) for the cholera epidemic in Haiti—one of the largest cholera epidemics in modern history. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the evidence that the U.N. brought cholera
to Haiti, relevant international legal and humanitarian standards necessary to understand U.N. accountability, and steps that the U.N. and other key national and international actors must take to rectify this harm. Despite overwhelming evidence linking the U.N. Mission for the Stabilization in Haiti (MINUSTAH)1 to the outbreak, the U.N. has denied responsibility for causing the epidemic. The organization has refused to adjudicate legal claims from cholera victims or to otherwise remedy the harms
they have suffered. By causing the epidemic and then refusing to provide redress to those affected, the U.N. has breached its commitments to the Government of Haiti, its obligations under international law, and principles of humanitarian relief. Now, nearly four years after the epidemic began, the U.N. is leading efforts to eliminate cholera but has still not taken responsibility for its own actions. As new infections continue to mount, accountability for the U.N.’s failures in Haiti is as important as ever.
Rapport Yale University sur le Cholera des Nations Unies en HaitiStanleylucas
Le rapport établit la responsabilité des soldats Népalais de la mission des Nations Unies (MINUSTAH) qui ont amené la bactérie choléra en Haiti et a cause l'épidémie. L'épidémie de la MINUSTAH a tuée plus de 7500 Haïtiens et contaminée près de 800.000. Jusqu'a présent les Nations Unies malgré les preuves scientifiques refusent d'admettre leur responsabilité. Les Haïtiens vont se battre jusqu'a ce que cette injustice soit réparée.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a natural emotional reaction to a deeply shocking and disturbing experience. It is a normalreaction to an abnormalsituation.
•Any human being has the potential to develop PTSD
•Cause external –Psychiatric Injury not Mental Illness
•Not resulting from the individual’s personality –Victim is not inherently weak or inferior
mental health professionals have responsibility to address torture related harm in society, how they write the reports is very important for justice and healing. they also have responsibility to help recovery.
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 11 Psychiatric Rights &am...MedicalWhistleblower
The Declaration of the Rights of Disabled Persons was adopted by the United Nations in 1975. It defines ‘disabled person’ to mean ‘any person unable to ensure by himself or herself, wholly or partly, the necessities of normal individual and/or social life, as a result of deficiency, whether congenital or not, in his or her physical or mental capacities’. This definition includes people with a mental illness, whether or not they also have other disabilities. The Declaration recognizes that people with disabilities are entitled to:
• The inherent right to respect for their human dignity; The same fundamental human rights as other citizens, whatever the origin nature and seriousness of their handicaps and disabilities, including the right to a decent life - as normal and full as possible;
• The right to legal safeguards against abuse of any limitation of rights made necessary by the severity of a person’s handicap, including regular review and the right of appeal;
• The right to any necessary treatment, rehabilitation, education, training and other services to help develop their skills and capabilities to the maximum;
• The right to economic and social security and the right, according to their capabilities, to secure and retain productive employment and to join trade unions;
• The right to have their needs considered in economic and social planning; The right to family life, the right to participate in all social, recreational and creative activities and the right not to be subjected to more restrictive conditions of residence than necessary;
Since the beginning of the year, 60,656 non-EU immigrants landed in Italy, of which 51,596 in Lampedusa and other islands in the Pelagian
.
This presentation afford the definition of human being and Integral Development based on Fernando Rielo's philosophy
This workwas presented during the II Workshop on Medical Anthropology in Rome, on October 14th-15th 2011.
The word “trauma” originated in the late 17th century from the Greek language. The literal translation is to “wound or damage.” The Greek word was specific to physical injury and has been used in medical terminology since.
The presentation deals with women rights and human rights violations comprising human rights in India, significance, UDHR and its role, various forms of violation against women, honour killing etc.
Euthanasia - Types, Arguments For and AgainstTejas Shah
Euthanasia, its types, ethical and moral dilemma, arguments for and against, religious views, philosophical arguments and legal validity in different countries.
Madridge Journal of AIDS (ISSN: 2638-1958); This article reviewed literature and scholarly studies related to psychosocial traumatic events among women in Nigeria. It conceptualized and discussed trauma from universal and cultural perspectives and different types of trauma.
10. 2015 mwan 072015 upr town hall treaties, international mechanisms, domes...MedicalWhistleblower
Medical Whistleblower Advocacy Network, 2015, UPR Town Hall, Treaties, International Mechanisms and Domestic Implementation, Ratification efforts in the USA to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD
6. 2015 mwan 032615 thematic report voiceless victims wards of the court ic...MedicalWhistleblower
Medical Whistleblower Advocacy Network Report 3/26/15 regarding human rights violations of persons who are wards of the court. The medical abuse and neglect of vulnerable mentally disabled adults and children as well as the elderly. Wards of the court have had their legal rights to legally advocate for themselves removed by a Judge's court order and another person (a guardian) assigned to represent their legal rights. The ability to advocate for one's own needs is essential in order to prevent human rights abuses. The worst human rights abuses happen behind closed doors and in places where the vulnerable persons are deprives of their basic human rights including the right to legally advocate for oneself. Pharmaceutical companies deliberately target vulnerable patient populations who are least likely to sue the company if an adverse event happens with their product. The use of pharmaceutical medications off-label without full informed consent is considered a human rights violation of a person's medical integrity. The use of neuroleptic medications without informed consent is considered potentially as torture. The use of psychiatric medications for chemical restraint is very overused and contributes to decreased quality of life for patients and also decreased life expectancy.
This is a preliminary report on the abuse and neglect of persons in residential treatment for “substance abuse” in the U.S.A. There have been violations of human rights, lack of investigation, prosecution and punishment of the offenders. This prevailing permissive environment has given de jure or de facto amnesty to those who violate human rights. Starting in the 1970’s there were residential treatment facilities for teens that were found to be abusive. The SEED, Straight Inc. and its derivatives, Roloff Homes, WWASPS and, more recently, Teen Challenge were adjudicated “guilty” of human rights abuses. This report explores the ways these perpetrators of abuse have used the political system to protect themselves and exploit loopholes in the law to expand their network of abusive residential treatment facilities for youth.
This is a preliminary report on the abuse and neglect of persons in residential treatment for “substance abuse” in the U.S.A. There have been violations of human rights, lack of investigation, prosecution and punishment of the offenders. This prevailing permissive environment has given de jure or de facto amnesty to those who violate human rights. Starting in the 1970’s there were residential treatment facilities for teens that were found to be abusive. The SEED, Straight Inc. and its derivatives, Roloff Homes, WWASPS and, more recently, Teen Challenge were adjudicated “guilty” of human rights abuses. This report explores the ways these perpetrators of abuse have used the political system to protect themselves and exploit loopholes in the law to expand their network of abusive residential treatment facilities for youth.
R A P E V I C T I M S A R E A C L A S S O F P E R S O N S O F T E N D...MedicalWhistleblower
Every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted. 1, 2 One out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. 3 Only one in 50 women who have been raped reports the crime to the police.4
Although both women and men may be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, women are the victims of the vast majority of these crimes. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 85% of violent victimizations by intimate partners between 1993 and 1998 were perpetrated against women. Women are between 13 and 14 times more likely than men to be raped or sexually assaulted; for instance, in 1994, 93% of sexual assaults were perpetrated against women. Four of five stalking victims are women.
To encourage employee representatives and employers to build cultures in which respect for individuals is regarded as an essential part of the conduct of all those who work in the organization.
•To increase awareness and knowledge of bullying in the workplace, and encourage the development of employment practices that enhance worker safety and prevent bullying in the workplace.
Law Enforcement, Intelligence, And Bioterrorism Investigation TestMedicalWhistleblower
A short multiple choice test to assess the basic knowledge of law enforcement officers regarding the value of intelligence in bioterrorism investigation.
How Should We Address Bulling In The Workplace Medical WhistleblowerMedicalWhistleblower
This powerpoint presentation by Medical Whistleblower, Dr. Janet Parker DVM examines how we can make workplaces less hostile and to promote good employment practices to identify, decrease and eliminate bullying in the workplace.
Rape Victims Are A Class Of Persons Often Defined By Gender Medical ...MedicalWhistleblower
Every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted. One out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. Only one in 50 women who have been raped reports the crime to the police.
Although both women and men may be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, women are the victims of the vast majority of these crimes. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 85% of violent victimizations by intimate partners between 1993 and 1998 were perpetrated against women. Women are between 13 and 14 times more likely than men to be raped or sexually assaulted; for instance, in 1994, 93% of sexual assaults were perpetrated against women. Four of five stalking victims are women. Data on male victimization do not show that males experience comparable victimizations and injury levels, do not account for women who act in self defense, and do not measure financial control, intimidation, and isolation used by perpetrators of domestic violence against women.
The gender issue is foremost in sexual assault issues, and is usually background in general victimization. The unique cultural bias and shaming that accompanies rape cases needs its own focused opposition. The history of rape law is a history of the law used as a tool to protect rapists, rather than the raped. The anti-rape movement confronts, as it must, the cultural myths that uniquely exist in the context of rape. Manipulation of these myths, along with humiliation and victim blaming, are typical informal defenses to rape charges. Blaming victims in rape cases may be an effective means to secure acquittal. In contrast, blaming a robbery victim is typically ineffective because robbery is unaccompanied by the same pernicious cultural myths. The nature of stigma and abuse in rape cases is profound and unique, a criminal process that mistreats and excludes other types of victims also inflicts secondary victimization.
In 2002, there were 247,730 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. One out of every six American women have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime (14.8% completed rape; 2.8% attempted rape). A total of 17.7 million women have been victims of these crimes. In 2002, one in every eight rape victims were male. 93% of juvenile sexual assault victims knew their attacker; 34.2% were family members and 58.7% acquaintances. Only seven percent of the perpetrators were strangers to the victim.
One of the most startling aspects of sex crimes is how many go unreported. The most common reasons given by victims for not reporting these crimes are the belief that it is a private or personal matter and that they fear reprisal from the assailant.
• In 2001, only 39% of rapes and sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement officials — about one in every three. [1999 NCVS]
• Approximately 66% of rape victims know their assailant.
• Approximately 48% of victims are raped by a friend or acquaintance; 30% by a stranger; 16% by an intimate; 2% by another relative; and in 4% of cases the relationship is unknown.
• About four out of ten sexual assaults take place at the victim’s own home. More than half of all rape/sexual assault incidents were reported by victims to have occurred within one mile of their home or at their home.
• In one study, 98% of males who raped boys reported that they were heterosexual.
• Rapists are more likely to be serial criminals than serial rapists. In one study, 46% of rapists who were released from prison were rearrested within 3 years of their release for another crime -- 18.6% for a violent offense, 14.8% for a property offense, 11.2% for a drug offense and 20.5% for a public-order offense.
• 61% of rapes/sexual assaults are not reported to the police. Those rapists, of course, never serve a day in prison.
So, even in the 39% of attacks that are reported to police, there is onl
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 2 Bullying February 2006...MedicalWhistleblower
Bullying in the workplace is interpersonal violence and severely impacts the workplace environment and also may cause psychological harm to the victim. Chronic bullying can cause PTSD and lead to health problems. Bullying can also be a sign of underlying corruption or malfeasance in the workplace. All employers are advised to take workplace bullying seriously and take steps to prevent it
1. Medical Whistleblower
December 2008
Medical Whistleblower’s
Volume 3 Issue 12
Canary Notes
Inside this issue:
Physical Torture 1
What is Torture?
Psychological Torture 2
Sleep Deprivation 3 What is Torture? This might seem to be a
simple question but the sliding slope of mis-
Threats
treatment and abuse makes defining torture a
complex legal issue. Torture is defined by
Rape and Sexual 4
Abuse the United Nations Convention against Torture
and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treat-
The World Medical 5-6
Association ment or Punishment (UNCAT) June 1987.
Article 1 (1) in the following way:
Countries who signed 7
& ratified ―For the purposes of this Convention, the term
"torture" means any act by which severe pain
Psychological Research 7 or suffering, whether physical or mental, is in-
How do governments 8 tentionally inflicted on a person for such pur-
poses as obtaining from him or a third person
Amnesty Interna- 8
tional
information or a confession, punishing him for
an act he or a third person has committed or is
Cruel and Degrading
suspected of having committed, or intimidating
Disappearances 9 or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind,
Human Subjects 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.‖
Physicians for Human 10
Rights The definition of Torture by the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition Inter-
national (TASSC) is as follows:
Physical Torture
Physical Torture is any action or technique, or combination that would result in severe
physical pain when inflicted upon a human being. Severe physical pain means a level
“The clarity of what of pain that a person would not voluntarily accept for himself or herself. Physical torture
you ought to do gives
includes but is not limited to the following:
you courage.”
– Wangari Maathai Electric shock Beatings
Near asphyxiation Stress positions
Rape or sexual abuse Dog attacks
Burning
2. Page 2 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Volume 3 Issue 12
Psychological Torture
Non-physical methods can be used to cause psychological suffering. The effects of psychological torture are
not immediately apparent unless they alter the behavior of the tortured person, so it is often overlooked or
denied. Physical torture is the inflicting of severe pain or suffering on a person. In contrast, psychological tor-
ture is directed at the psyche with calculated violations of psychological needs, along with deep damage to
psychological structures and the breakage of beliefs underpinning normal sanity. Torturers often inflict both
types of torture in combination to compound the associated effects. Torture can include extreme stressors,
rape, sexual abuse, mock execution, shunning, violation of deep-seated social or sexual norms and taboos,
and extended solitary confinement. Many torturers around the world use methods designed to have a maxi-
mum psychological impact, while leaving only minimal physical traces. For survivors, torture often leads to
lasting mental and physical health problems. It is important to remember that it is possible to induce severe
psychological pain, suffering, and trauma with no externally visible effects. Often torturers prefer methods
that, while unpleasant, leave victims alive and unmarked. A victim with no visible damage may lack credibility
when telling tales of torture. Mental torture, however can leave scars just as deep and long-lasting as physi-
cal torture. Torture can include electrical shock, asphyxiation, heat, cold, noise, and sleep deprivation (which
leaves little evidence), beatings, and can even involve horrific mutilation or death. The severe mental pain
and suffering of those who have been subjected to sexually humiliating acts can constitute cruel or inhuman
treatment and also be considered a psychological form of torture. The definition of Mental Torture by the
Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) is any action or technique, or any
combination thereof, which might result in severe mental trauma or harm when inflicted upon a human be-
ing. This includes but is not limited to the following:
Death threat or threats of immediate and severe physical
pain
Mock executions
Rape or sexual abuse
Extended disruption of food and sleep
Extended solitary confinement
Extended sensory deprivation
Extended sensory disruption or overload
Use of hallucinogenic or other mentally disruptive drugs
Threats against family members
Secret detention or "disappearances" of a loved one
Forced observance, by hearing or watching, of the mental and/or physical torture or murder of another.
Forcible participation in the mental or physical torture of others.
Severe mental trauma or harm means a level of fear or trauma that a person would not voluntarily accept
for himself or herself, or which results in prolonged mental suffering afterwards.
Note: There are countless ways to inflict mental trauma or harm such as the use of psychotropic, mind-
altering, or other drugs for the purpose of decreasing resistance or gaining information or the exploitation
of phobias, psychopathology, or physical vulnerability . Some methods may appear innocuous, but are in
fact devastating.
3. Page 3 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Volume 3 Issue 12
Disruption of Sleep and Meals:
Sleep Deprivation and withholding food and water con-
stitutes, at a minimum, cruel and degrading treat-
ment. Depending on the age and health of the prisoner,
the duration of the disruption, and the other techniques
being used in this combination, in most cases this will
also constitute mental and/or physical torture. US Fed-
eral courts have repeatedly found sleep deprivation to
violate both the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
The Supreme Court has held that a confession obtained
by depriving a prisoner of sleep for thirty-six hours vio-
lated the individual’s right to due process. See Ashcraft
v. Tennessee, 322 U.S. 143, 154 (1944); see also Ashcraft v. Tennessee, 327 U.S. 274 (1946); see generally
United States ex rel. Wade v. Jackson, 256 F.2d 7 (2d Cir. 1958) (depriving arrestee of sleep for twenty-two
hours contributed to violations of due process rights).
Threats:
Universal Declaration of Human
The international courts have agreed that threats, including threats to a third Rights
person, are prohibited conduct constituting cruel or inhuman treatment. Article 1-
[ Campbell v. United Kingdom — 4 Eur. Ct. H.R. 293 (ser. A) ¶ 26(Feb. 25 “All human beings are born free
1982), available at http://www.worldlii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/1982/1.html] and in
and equal in dignity and rights.
some cases part of a pattern of mental abuse and torture. [Urrutia v. Guate-
They are endowed with reason
mala, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R., (Ser. C) No. 103, ¶¶ 93-94] The European Court of
and conscience and should act
Human Rights found that threats can trigger ―long-term symptoms of anxiety
towards one another in a spirit of
and insecurity, diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder and requiring
treatment by medication,‖ and can even be by themselves to constitute tor- brotherhood”
ture.‖ [Akkoç v. Turkey. App. nos. 22947/93 and 22948/93, 116-17 (Oct. 10,
2000)]. Under US law, threats of imminent death or severe physical pain or
suffering to the individual or others, are explicitly banned as forms of mental torture that can lead to long-term
harm under the Torture Act and are war crimes under the War Crimes Act (2003). When there are credible
verbal threats of the use of deadly force it can be considered to be cruel and unusual treatment that ―shocks
the conscience‖ in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. For instance, US Federal appeals
courts have found that pointing a loaded weapon at a civilian without a legiti-
mate law enforcement purpose violated the Fourteenth Amendment.
[Hawkins v. Holloway, 316 F.3d 777, 787 (8th Cir. 2003)] (holding that
―threatening deadly force a as means of oppressing those employed in his
department‖ elevated ―his conduct to the arbitrary and conscience shocking
behavior prohibited by substantive due process‖); [Robinson v. Solano
County, 278 F.3d 1007, 1014 (9th Cir. 2002)].
4. Page 4 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Volume 3 Issue 12
Rape, Sexual Abuse and Humiliation:
Article 5- Rape, of course, will always constitute physical and mental torture. Religious, cultural,
and sexual humiliation including, but not limited to, forced nakedness and other sexual
“No one shall be subjected abuse, such as unwanted touching, forced nudity, and forced masturbation is always,
to torture or to cruel, at the very least, cruel and degrading. Sexual abuse and humiliation fall within the
definition of mental torture. In the legal case Raquel Martin Mejía v. Perú, Case
inhuman or degrading
10.970, Report No. 5/96, Inter-Am. C.H.R. 157, OEA/ser.L/V/II.91, doc. 7 rev. (1996).
treatment or punishment”
The court announced that rape constituted torture if it was: ―1) an intentional act
through which physical and mental pain and suffering is inflicted on a person; 2) com-
mitted with a purpose; and 3) committed by a public official or by a private person act-
ing at the instigation of the former.‖
Rape not only is an unspeakable infringement of human rights, but often leaves deep
and lasting psychological scars. The international human rights, criminal justice, and
humanitarian law communities, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), the ad
hoc international criminal tribunals, regional human rights courts, and the UN human
rights bodies, are uniform in their designation of rape as a violation of human rights
and a crime. Perhaps most significantly, the International Criminal Court statute con-
siders rape, including sexual violence, a war crime and, if used systematically against
a civilian population, a crime against humanity. The ICC statute also establishes that
rape is a ―grave breach‖ of the Geneva Conventions and may constitute a crime
against humanity. Rape by a state agent will almost always be torture as well. The
Fourth Geneva Convention considers rape as an act of torture and a war crime. Both
the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
have characterized rape as inhumane treatment, and the Inter-American Court later
“I know what few U.S. determined that rape is a form of torture and thus a violation of Article 5.2 of the
citizens know: what it is
American Convention on Human Rights. The European Court of Human Rights also
to be an innocent civil-
ian, and to be accused, found that rape can constitute a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention,
interrogated, and tor- which prohibits torture. The court found that ―rape of a detainee by an official of the
tured, to have my own
government eschew my State must be considered to be an especially grave and abhorrent form of ill-treatment
claims for justice and given the ease with which the offender can exploit the vulnerability and weakened re-
actively destroy my sistance of his victim.‖ Aydin v. Turkey, 1997-VI Eur. H.R. Rep. 1866, ¶¶ 80-88 ¶
character because my
case causes political 83.(1997). Incidents of penetration with a foreign object clearly constitute rape under
problems for them. I domestic law such as the War Crimes Act. Military Commissions Act of 2006, Pub. L.
know what it is to wait in
No. 109-366, 120 Stat. 2600 (amending 18 U.S.C.§ 2441) (2006). Sexually degrading
the dark for torture, and
what it is to wait in the acts have historically been used in combination with other methods to break down a
dark for the truth. I am detainee. Forced nakedness and sexual humiliation violate human dignity and can
still waiting.‖
lead to long-term psychological harm. Sexual humiliation and stripping a detainee of
Sister Diana Ortiz his clothes adds to his sense of vulnerability and are ―intended to cause . . . feelings of
humiliation and inferiority.‖
5. Volume 3 Issue 12 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Page 5
The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo
The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo. Guidelines for Physicians Concerning Tor-
ture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Relation to Detention
and Imprisonment
Adopted by the 29th World Medical Assembly, Tokyo, Japan, October 1975,
and editorially revised at the 170th Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France,
May 2005 and the 173rd Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2006
PREAMBLE
It is the privilege of the physician to practise medicine in the service of humanity, to preserve and
restore bodily and mental health without distinction as to persons, to comfort and to ease the
suffering of his or her patients. The utmost respect for human life is to be maintained even under
threat, and no use made of any medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity.
For the purpose of this Declaration, torture is defined as the deliberate, systematic or wanton
infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of
any authority, to force another person to yield information, to make a confession, or for any other
reason.
DECLARATION
1. The physician shall not countenance, condone or participate in the practice of torture or
other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures, whatever the offense of which the victim
of such procedures is suspected, accused or guilty, and whatever the victim's beliefs or motives,
and in all situations, including armed conflict and civil strife.
2. The physician shall not provide any premises, instruments, substances or knowledge to fa-
cilitate the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or to dimin-
ish the ability of the victim to resist such treatment.
3. When providing medical assistance to detainees or prisoners who are, or who could later be,
under interrogation, physicians should be particularly careful to ensure the confidentiality of all
personal medical information. A breach of the Geneva Conventions shall in any case be reported
by the physician to relevant authorities. The physician shall not use nor allow to be used, as far
as he or she can, medical knowledge or skills, or health information specific to individuals, to fa-
cilitate or otherwise aid any interrogation, legal or illegal, of those individuals.
4. The physician shall not be present during any procedure during which torture or any other
forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is used or threatened.
5. A physician must have complete clinical independence in deciding upon the care of a person
for whom he or she is medically responsible. The physician's fundamental role is to alleviate the
distress of his or her fellow human beings, and no motive, whether personal, collective or politi-
cal, shall prevail against this higher purpose.
6. Where a prisoner refuses nourishment and is considered by the physician as capable of
forming an unimpaired and rational judgment concerning the consequences of such a voluntary
refusal of nourishment, he or she shall not be fed artificially. The decision as to the capacity of
the prisoner to form such a judgment should be confirmed by at least one other independent
physician. The consequences of the refusal of nourishment shall be explained by the physician
to the prisoner.
7. The World Medical Association will support, and should encourage the international commu-
nity, the National Medical Associations and fellow physicians to support, the physician and his or
her family in the face of threats or reprisals resulting from a refusal to condone the use of torture
or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
6. Page 6 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Notes Volume 3 Issue 12
The World Medical Association Declaration, Hamburg, Germany, 11/ 1997
World Medical Association Declaration Concerning Support for Medical Doctors Refusing
to Participate in, or to Condone, the Use of Torture or Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment
PREAMBLE
1. On the basis of a number of international ethical declarations and guidelines subscribed to by the medical profession, medi-
cal doctors throughout the world are prohibited from countenancing, condoning or participating in the practice of torture or other
forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures for any reason.
2. Primary among these declarations are the World Medical Association's International Code of Medical Ethics, Declaration of
Geneva, Declaration of Tokyo, and Resolution on Physician Participation in Capital Punishment; the Standing Committee of
European Doctors' Statement of Madrid; the Nordic Resolution Concerning Physician Involvement in Capital Punishment; and,
the World Psychiatric Association's Declaration of Hawaii.
However, none of these declarations or statements addresses explicitly the issue of what protection should be extended to
medical doctors if they are pressured, called upon, or ordered to take part in torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrad-
ing treatment or punishment. Nor do these declarations or statements express explicit support for, or the obligation to protect,
doctors who encounter or become aware of such procedures.
RESOLUTION
4. The World Medical Association (WMA) hereby reiterates and reaffirms the responsibility of the organised medical profes-
sion:
i. to encourage doctors to honour their commitment as physicians to serve humanity and to resist any pressure to act con-
trary to the ethical principles governing their dedication to this task;
ii. to support physicians experiencing difficulties as a result of their resistance to any such pressure or as a result of their at-
tempts to speak out or to act against such inhuman procedures; and,
iii. to extend its support and to encourage other international organisations, as well as the national member associations
(NMAs) of the World Medical Association, to support physicians encountering difficulties as a result of their attempts to act in
accordance with the highest ethical principles of the profession.
iv. Furthermore, in view of the continued employment of such inhumane procedures in many countries throughout the world,
and the documented incidents of pressure upon medical doctors to act in contravention to the ethical principles subscribed to
by the profession, the WMA finds it necessary:
v. to protest internationally against any involvement of, or any pressure to involve, medical doctors in acts of torture or other
forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
vi. to support and protect, and to call upon its NMAs to support and protect, physicians who are resisting involvement in such
inhuman procedures or who are working to treat and rehabilitate victims thereof, as well as to secure the right to uphold the
highest ethical principles including medical confidentiality;
vii. to publicise information about and to support doctors reporting evidence of torture and to make known proven cases of at-
tempts to involve physicians in such procedures; and,
viii. to encourage national medical associations to ask corresponding academic authorities to teach and investigate in all
schools of medicine and hospitals the consequences of torture and its treatment, the rehabilitation of the survivors, the docu-
mentation of torture, and the professional protection described in this Declaration.
7. Volume 3 Issue 12 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Page 7
Countries To the Convention Against Torture
Article 3-
“Everyone has the right to
life, liberty and
security of person”
Map of the world with
parties to the Conven-
Psychological Research on Torture tion against Torture
shaded dark green,
In two very important psychological research studies, the Stanford prison states that have signed
experiment, and the Milgram experiment, it was found that the people re-
spond to authority figures and will participate in torture. In the acceptance
but not ratified the treaty
of torture there are is a sliding scale of stages of personal acceptance of in light green, and non-
torture and these include: parties in grey.
Reluctant or peripheral participation:
Official encouragement: Many people will follow the direction of an authority
figure (such as a superior officer) in an official setting (especially if presented
as mandatory), even if they have personal uncertainty. The main motivations
for this appear to be fear of loss of status or respect, and the desire to be seen
as a "good citizen" or "good subordinate".
Peer encouragement: This is when people begin to accept torture as neces-
sary, acceptable or deserved, or to comply from a wish to not reject peer group
beliefs.
Dehumanization: This means people seeing victims as objects of curiosity
and experimentation, where pain becomes just another test to see how it af-
fects the victim.
Disinhibition: This is when socio-cultural and situational pressures may cause torturers to undergo a lessen-
ing of moral Inhibitions and as a result act in ways not normally countenanced by law, custom and con-
science.
Milgram, Stanley (1963). "Behavioral Study of Obedience". Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 67:
371–378. doi:10.1037/h0040525. PMID 14049516.
http://content.apa.org/journals/abn/67/4/371. Full-text PDF.
8. Page 8 Medical Whistleblower’s Canary Volume 3 Issue 12
How do Governments Respond to Torture?
Torture becomes established as part of internally acceptable norms un-
der certain circumstances, it’s us often becomes institutionalized and
self-perpetuating over time. Many perpetrators of torture are coerced
by their superiors. It can be:
1.Carried on in silence (official denial)
2. Semi-silence (known but not spoken about)
3. Openly acknowledged in public (in order to instill fear and obedience).
Amnesty International
Amnesty International researches human rights abuses worldwide and releases re-
ports– in order to increase transparency and bring world attention to the problem. It
Amnesty International
also organizes a huge grassroots movement to call attention to actions of govern-
USA website http://
ments and individuals involved in abuses. Amnesty International argues that torture
www.amnestyusa.org
and ill-treatment are repugnant, abhorrent, and immoral. Amnesty International asserts
+1 212 807 8400
that evidence extracted by torture can be unreliable and that the use of torture cor-
rupts institutions which tolerate it. People will say or do anything to escape the situa- 5 Penn Plaza - 16th floor,
tion, including untrue ―confessions" and implication of others without genuine knowl- New York, NY 10001
edge, who may well then be tortured in turn. Torture has often been sponsored by USA
governments. In addition, individuals or groups may inflict torture on others for the
same reasons as those acting in an official capacity. The Amnesty International Secretariat is responsible for
the majority of the organization's research and leads the campaigning work, based in London, UK. Tele-
phone: +44-20-74135500 Fax number: +44-20-79561157 Address:1 Easton Street, London, WC1X
0DW, UK
Cruel and Degrading Treatment
Cruel and degrading treatment is any action or technique, or combination
thereof, that would degrade or humiliate a human being, or result in personal
misery. This category may include mental and physical abuse that would not
quite amount to torture. Note: Today this category should include forcing a
devout Muslim man to wear a woman's underpants on his head, or depriving a
prisoner of bathing and toilet privileges. Many of these actions, if repeated or
prolonged, or combined with other actions could constitute mental or physical
torture.
9. Newsletter Title Volume 3 Issue 12 Page 9
Disappearances
"Ghost Prisoners": Holding any person prisoner in
secret detention without access to families, advo-
cates, lawyers or the International Red Cross con-
stitutes mental torture both for the prisoners, their
families and loved ones. Under such conditions,
other forms of mental and physical torture become
almost inevitable. Secrecy always results in the
abuse of power. International Committee of the Red
Cross ICRC 1100 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite
500, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-587-4600, Fax:
202-587-4696 http://www.icrc.org/ Torture is at the
heart of the deadly politics of national security. http://
www.icrc.org/ Report on High Value Detainees in CIA custody http://www.nybooks.com/icrc-report.pdf
Human Subjects Protection
Human subjects should be protected and any medical research involving
the use of Human Subjects should have a reviewed and approved investi-
gation plan guided by experts in clinical medicine, public health, bioethics,
and international human rights law who reviewed and approved the investi-
gation plan. The medical research plan should also be guided by the rele-
vant process provisions of Title 45 of the US Code of Federal Regulations
and complied with the Declaration of Helsinki, as revised in 2000. For fur-
ther information consult the World Med. Association, Declaration of Hel-
sinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects,
World Medical Association Doc. 17.C (1964, am. 1975, 1983, 1989, 1996,
and 2000), available at http://www.wma.net/e/policy/b3.htm.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent
organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of
war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the
international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of conflict. It also
endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal
humanitarian principles.
10. Medical Whistleblower
The information contained through the Medical Whistle-
blower Canary Notes Newsletter is provided for general
information only. The information provided by the Medial
Dr. Janet Parker DVM Whistleblower Canary Notes does not constitute legal or
P.O. Box C professional advice nor is it conveyed or intended to be con-
Lawrence, KS 66044 veyed in the course of any adviser-client discourse, but is
Phone: 360-809-3058 intended to be general information with respect to common
Fax: None issues. It is not offered as and does not constitute legal or
E-mail: MedicalWhistleblower@gmail.com medical advice or opinion. It should not serve as a substitute
for advice from an attorney, qualified medical professional,
social worker, therapist or counselor familiar with the facts
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MedicalWhistleblower.googlepages.com to seek additional information and resources before making
any decision. We make no warranty, express or implied,
concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content of this
newsletter due to the constantly changing nature of the legal
Supporting the Emotional Health of All Whistleblowers and medical aspects of these issues .
and their Friends, Supporters and Families.
Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes health
professionals to advance the health and dignity of all
people through actions that promote respect for, pro-
tection of, and fulfillment of human rights. PHR has a
Medical Evidence of Torture track record of more than 20 years documenting tor-
by US Personnel and Its ture around the world, including in Turkey, Chile,
Impact: A Report by Chechnya, Kosovo, Israel, India, and Chiapas, Mex-
Physicians for Human Rights
ico. PHR has extensive expertise in evaluating survi-
June 2008
vors of torture as well as experience with prisoner health issues. PHR was one of
the lead initiators and authors of the Istanbul Protocol on the investigation and
Physicians for Human Rights documentation of torture, adopted as an official document by the United Nations in
2 Arrow Street, Suite 301 1999. PHR has repeatedly called for an end to the use of the ―enhanced‖ tactics by
all US personnel, an end to all health professional participation in interrogations, a
Cambridge, MA 02138
full Congressional investigation of the use of psychological and physical torture by
Tel. (617) 301.4200
the US Government, and accountability for perpetrators. PHR has successfully or-
Washington Office ganized and mobilized thousands of health professionals and helped to secure the
1156 15th Street, Suite leadership of the major health professional associations to develop ethical guide-
1001 lines related to interrogation that protect against medicine and science being em-
Washington, DC 20005 ployed to aid the abuse of prisoners. PHR’s work contributed to the adoption of ethi-
cal standards by the American Medical Association, the World Medical Association,
Tel. (202) 728.5335
and the American Psychiatric Association prohibiting direct participation of physi-
www.physiciansforhumanrights
cians in interrogations. PHR has helped move the American Psychological Associa-
tion (APA) to prohibit the involvement of its members in the Central Intelligence
Agency’s ―enhanced‖ interrogation techniques and has supported a movement
within the APA to end the direct participation of psychologists in interrogations.