THEMATIC REPORT 2017
TORTURE AND MIGRATION
10 percent of the clients (36) noted that they were tortured
by occupying forces. Member centres participating in this
report observe that occupying armies or guerrilla forces will
often use torture to induce fear and submission in the local
population.
The most frequently cited State-level perpetrators were
national-level government officials, with 12 percent of the
clients reporting that they were tortured by this perpetrator
group. The police, armed forces and prison officials were
the next most frequently cited State-level perpetrators,
with around 3 percent to 4 percent of clients having noted
this group as their perpetrators. The reason national-level
government officials rank so highly is because it is often
very difficult for victims to identify their perpetrators. In
many countries, torture victims are apprehended by State
officials in civilian clothes or do not wear visible signs of
identification, making it impossible to know for certain
which organ of the State they belong to. Many perpetrators
in this category are subsequently identified as members
of the armed or security forces or as police officers. (See
Figure 12)
Crushed buses and the debris
of war line a street of blown up
buildings in Sarajevo.
by Northfoto / Shutterstock
page 22
10 percent of the
clients (36) noted that
they were tortured by
occupying forces.
Occupying armies or
guerrilla forces will
often use torture
to induce fear and
submission in the
local population.
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