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WAPR
On Torture and Abuse of Prisoners
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The World Association for Psychosocial
Rehabilitation, being an International NGO in Consultative status with the
United Nations and the World Health Organisation and representing the views of
the psychosocially disabled, their families, and mental health practitioners
world wide, wish to state the following:
1) WAPR unreservedly condemns the use of
torture of prisoners, in any context and at any time, in order to obtain
information or as punishment. In particular, we, as a mental health
organisation, deplore the use all methods of extreme intimidation such as
prolonged sleep deprivation, isolation and interrogation or the use of
degrading or painful procedures such as sexual abuse, electric shocks abuse of
psychotropic drugs and other inducement of terror by physical or sexual abuse,
noise, electric shocks and other cruel and inhumane means.
2) We consider these acts to be gross
violations of human rights, and will result in serious and permanent damage to
the individual's mental and physical health as well as adverse effects on their
families and communities.
3) WAPR
recommends most strongly that mental health workers should take no part,
however marginally in any interrogations of this kind.
4) Any member of WAPR who did so take part
would be liable to expulsion from WAPR membership by their national
organisation or the WAPR Board.
5) WAPR therefore calls on the United Nations and regional and
national governments to take all necessary legal and administrative steps to
prevent such abuses of human rights.
By the WAPR Assembly.
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