Beating of prisoners

Flogging offenders
Torture by beating

Nature

In some countries, prisoners are beaten (sometimes to death). This may either be done as a form of torture to obtain information, to frighten the citizenry, or as a method of execution. Prisoners may be beaten with blunt instruments, clubs, rifle butts, sticks or truncheons. They are slapped, kicked or punched. Falanga, blows to the soles of the feet, is a frequent form of torture. Whippings with rope, hide, wire or barbed wire are common. Canning and flogging are still practised as standard or alternative punishments in some countries. Victims have had blankets placed over them; motor tyres placed over the blankets restraining their arms and them beaten through the blankets. Often victims are hung upside down and beaten.

Incidence

In a recent survey of victims of torture 92% were beaten while in prison. Beatings has been reported in the following countries:

[Africa]

Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan AJ, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania UR, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

[America]

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, USA, Uruguay

[Asia]

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran Islamic Rep, Iraq, Israel, Korea Rep, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syrian AR, Taiwan (Rep of China)

[Europe]

Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Turkey, USSR, UK, Yugoslavia

Media attention was given in 1993 to the public flogging of an Anglican bishop in the Sudan. He was convicted of adultery and received 80 lashes in accordance with Islamic law.

Claim

The beating of prisoners is a grave violation of human rights that must be condemned unequivocally. It reflects a systemic failure to uphold dignity and justice within our societies. Such brutality not only inflicts physical and psychological harm on individuals but also undermines the rule of law and erodes public trust in institutions. We must advocate for the humane treatment of all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, and hold perpetrators accountable to ensure a just society.

Counter-claim

While the beating of prisoners is often highlighted as a significant issue, it is essential to recognize that many societies prioritize law and order over individual grievances. The focus should be on rehabilitation and security rather than sensationalizing isolated incidents. By emphasizing the need for discipline within correctional facilities, we can maintain societal safety. Thus, the narrative surrounding prisoner treatment often distracts from more pressing societal concerns that require our attention and resources.