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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Leonard Rubenstein, JD, Physicians for Human Rights, 1156 15th St NW, Suite 1001, Washington, DC 20005, 202 728 5335, lrubenstein@phrusa.org

In December, 2005, Congress enacted amendments sponsored by Senator John McCain that required all U.S. forces to abide by the prohibition in human rights law against the use of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. The amendments also required the U.S. Army to abide by interrogation techniques included in a field manual that pre-existed the so-called war on terror. No action was taken by Congress to address medical participation in coercive interrogation, as permitted by Department of Defense policy. This session will review developments since December 2005 in United States interrogation practice, the use of extraordinary renditions, and the role of health professionals in interrogation and the ethical implications of that role. It will also review the state of the debate and advocacy against torture

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• To describe the current status of US policy and practice on interrogation of detainees
• To describe the role of health personnel in interrogation and analzye the ethical consequences of participation

Keywords: Torture, Ethics

Related Web page: www.phrusa.org/torture

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation