Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

On Obama and Ill-Treatment: Interdisciplinary Policy Against Torture’s Return

  • Published:
Human Rights Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

By executive order—later passed into law—President Obama closed legal loopholes used to justify torture by his predecessor. Less often discussed, his administration also instituted scientific research into the most effective interrogation techniques. This dual-track approach already demands the use of two different methods to properly discuss the policy, and in this article, a third is put forward for a fuller interdisciplinary view. That is to say, although there are notable shortcomings, scientific and legal developments will be explored to illuminate how he also clarified a moral stance for the nation. Put all together, this article will show that Obama indeed achieved laudable steps towards preventing the reintroduction of torture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Chair of the Committee, Senator Diane Feinstein, came to a personal conclusion that some detainees were “tortured” and the evidence was “overwhelming and incontrovertible,” (SSCI Report 2014, Forward: p. xii).

  2. There is a worthwhile recent trend of integrating law and ethics (e.g., Finkelstein et al. 2012; Ohlin et al. 2015; Bhuta et al. 2016). Yet the addition of empirical validity brought by scientific research renders the approach utilized here slightly different.

  3. Other sources might include the following: Bernstein 2015; Brecher 2007; Luban 2014; Scarry 1985; and Shue 1978.

  4. Bentham’s quasi-mathematical “felicific calculus” includes seven variables: intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty, propinquity or remoteness, fecundity, purity, and extent. However, as it has been said that applying this formula is impractical or “artificial” (Mitchell 1918), it is simplified and argued here that the scientific research carried out under Obama indeed elucidates the tendency to increase happiness.

  5. It is admittedly contradictory to the public view described in "Legality" that President Obama has preserved a copy of the full report in his presidential library—but it is to remain classified for 12 years (White House 2016). This is accentuated by fact that CIA “inadvertently” destroyed two of its own copies (Isikoff 2016).

  6. Mitchell suggests there was a systemization in the CIA program he designed, but it should be noted that he had no previous interrogation experience for comparison (Mitchell J with Harlow B, 2016). Nonetheless, one report claims this was indeed human experimentation (Physician for Human Rights 2017).

  7. Rejali makes this point most clearly in his discussion of the CIA Phoenix Program: “[E]ven if torture was completely effective, the database indicates that it would still be unreliable as a source of information because the way individuals are chosen in insurgencies guarantees many prisoners with no information. But it seems plausible that torture compounded the selection errors: the ignorant fingered the innocent and deceived the torturers, and the innocent was then interrogated or terminated” (2007: p. 472).

  8. “Absent a sharp break with ethical and legal principles that have governed human subjects research for generations, comparative-effectiveness studies using suspects for whom harsh, real-world consequences loom are not possible” (Bloche 2017).

  9. This author has been invited to be a member of the Advisory Council and attended a gathering at the European Union Delegation to the United Nations in New York: “Roundtable Meeting on Developing a Model for Investigative Interviewing by Law Enforcement Officials and Attendant Procedural Safeguards” (June 8, 2017).

  10. Although this is often cited to silence critics, Rejali’s extensive analysis of the events concludes, “[t]he French gained accurate intelligence through public cooperation and informants, not torture” (2007: p. 481).

  11. It should also be noted that another essential element of Kant’s categorical imperative is that individuals are never to be used as a means to an end; each being must be treated “as an end in itself” (2002: p. 45–56). Of course, torturing a person for information would render them nothing more than a means to an end.

  12. American Convention on Human Rights, Art. 5 (22 Nov. 1969), O.A.S. Treaty Series No. 36, 1144 U.N.T.S. 123 (entered into force 18 July 1978); European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Art. 3 (20 March 1952), European Treaty Series No. 5, 213 U.N.T.S. 221 (entered into force 18 May 1954); African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Art. 5 (27 June 1981), OAU Doc. CAB/LEG/67/3 rev. 5, 1520 U.N.T.S. 217 (entered into force 21 Oct 1986); Arab Charter on Human Rights, Art. 8 (22 May 2004), reprinted in 12 Int’l Human Rights Report 893 (2005) (entered into force 15 March 2008).

  13. While torture persists worldwide, there is now a preference for techniques that leave no mark or “stealth torture” (Rejali 2007: p. 33–402). Until the Trump campaign, there has been next to no recent full-throated argument for outright torture.

  14. For in-depth analysis of the OLC Torture Memos, see Paust (2009).

  15. Unfortunately, the change applied solely to the CAT as the Obama administration declared earlier the same year that this was not the case for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Human Rights Committee 2014: ¶4(a)). This occurred despite internal efforts at the highest level (Koh 2010).

  16. This, of course, refers to the challenge posed by the ticking bomb scenario—the quandary of whether the torture ban should be contravened if life-saving information is known to exist inside the mind of a detained prisoner. For a more direct and sharp refutation, see Brecher (2007) and Luban (2014: p. 43–107).

  17. At the same time, we should not overlook the fact that a US citizen is currently being held without access to a lawyer in Iraq (Lederman 2017) and Gina Haspel—known to have directly participated in parts of the torture program and destroyed evidence—has been nominated to be the Director of the CIA (Hawkins 2018). Of course, the Haspel nomination sharply clarifies Obama's failure of accountability.

References

  • Amnesty International (2013) USA: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Human Rights. Submission to the UN Human Rights Committee for the 109th Session.

  • Amnesty International (2015) USA Crimes and Impunity: Full Senate Committee Report on CIA Secret Detentions Must be Released, and Accountability for Crimes Under International Law Ensured.

  • Apuzzo, M et al. (2016) How U.S. Torture Left a Legacy of Damaged Minds. New York Times, October 9.

  • Army Field Manual FM 2-22.3 (2006) U.S. Department of the Army, Human Intelligence Collector Operations.

  • Arrigo, JM (2004) A Utilitarian Argument against Torture Interrogation of Terrorists. Sci Eng Ethics 10(3): 543–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aydin V (1997) Turkey, 57/1996/676/866, Eur. Ct. H.R.

  • Barela, SJ (2014) International Law, New Diplomacy and Counterterrorism: An Interdisciplinary Study of Legitimacy. Routledge, Milton Park.

  • Basoglu, M (2009) Head of the Trauma Studies section at the Institute of Psychiatry of King’s College London. In: Bohannon J, Torture Can't Provide Good Information, Argues Neuroscientist, Science http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2009/09/torture-cant-provide-good-information-argues-neuroscientist. Accessed Jan 2018.

  • Bell, J (2008) Behind this Mortal Bone: The (In)Effectiveness of Torture 83 Ind Law J 83(1):339–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham, J (2000 [original version 1781]) An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. Batoche Books, Kitchener, Ontario.

  • Bernstein, J (2015) Torture and Dignity. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bhuta N, Beck S, Geiβ R, Liu H-Y, Kreβ C (eds.) (2016) Autonomous Weapons Systems: Law, Ethics, Policy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

  • Bloche, G (2017) Towards a Science of Torture?. Texas Law Rev 95:1329–1355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brecher, B (2007) Torture and the Ticking Bomb. Blackwell, London.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brennan J (2013) Director of Central Intelligence Agency, Cover Letter, CIA Comments on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Report on the Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation Program.

  • Bull R (ed.) (2014) Investigative Interviewing. Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bybee J (2002) Assistant Attorney General, Counsel to the President, Re: Standards of Conduct for Interrogation under 18 U.S.C. §§ 230-2340A, reprinted in Greenberg K, Dratel J (eds.) The Torture Papers: The Road to Abu Ghraib (2005) Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp.172–217.

  • Central Intelligence Agency Inspector General (2004) Counterterrorism Detention and Interrogation Activities (Sept 2001 – Oct 2003). Office of Inspector General, Central Intelligence Agency.

  • Church A (2005) “Church Report,” Office of the Secretary of Defense, Review of Department of Defense Detention Operations and Detainee Interrogation Techniques.

  • Cole D (2015) Did the Torture Report Give the CIA a Bum Rap? New York Times, February 20.

  • Committee Against Torture (2008) General Comment 2, UN Doc CAT/C/GC/2.

  • Committee Against Torture (2012) General Comment 3, UN Doc CAT/C/GC/3.

  • Committee Against Torture (2014) Concluding observations on the third to fifth periodic reports of United States of America, UN Doc CAT/C/USA/CO/3-5.

  • Congressional Research Services (2016) Perspectives on Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.

  • Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (signed 10 Dec. 1984, entered into force 26 June 1987) 1465 U.N.T.S. 85.

  • Costanzo M, & Gerrity E (2009) The Effects and Effectiveness of Using Torture as an Interrogation Device: Using Research to Inform the Policy Debate. Social Issues and Policy Review 3:179–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Justice (2009a), Department of Justice Releases Four Office of Legal Counsel Opinions, April 16. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-releases-four-office-legal-counsel-opinions. Accessed January 2018.

  • Department of Justice (2009b) Special Task Force on Interrogations and Transfer Policies Issues Its Recommendations to the President, August 24. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/special-task-force-interrogations-and-transfer-policies-issues-its-recommendations-president. Accessed January 2018.

  • Detainee Treatment Act (2005) Public Law No. 109-148, §§ 1001–1006.

  • Executive Order No. 13491 (2009) 74 Fed. Reg. 4893, January 22.

  • Fallon, M (2017) Unjustifiable Means: The Inside Story of How the CIA, Pentagon, and US Government Conspired to Torture. Reagan Arts, New York.

  • Federal Bureau of Investigations Inspector General (2008) A Review of the FBI’s Involvement in and Observations of Detainee Interrogations in Guantánamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice.

  • Federal Bureau of Investigations (2016) Interrogation: A Review of the Science, High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group.

  • Fein R, Lehner P, Vossekuil, B (2006) Educing Information–Interrogation: Science and Art. National Defense Intelligence College, Washington D.C.

  • Finkelstein C, Ohlin JD, Altman A (eds.) (2012) Targeted Killings: Law and Morality in an Asymmetrical World. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field [GCI] (signed August 12, 1949, entered into force October 21, 1950), 75 U.N.T.S. 31.

  • Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea [GCII] (signed August 12, 1949, entered into force October 21, 1950) 75 U.N.T.S. 85.

  • Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War [GCIII] (signed August 12, 1949, entered into force October 21, 1950), 6 U.S.T. 3316, 75 U.N.T.S. 135.

  • Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, [GCIV] (signed August 12, 1949, entered into force October 21, 1950) 75 U.N.T.S. 287.

  • Granhag PA, Vrij A and Meissner CA (2014), Special Issue - Information Gathering in Law Enforcement and Intelligence Settings: Advancing Theory and Practice, Applied Cognitive. Psychology, 28(6): 815–950, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3093.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, K (2018) What the Senate Needs to Ask Gina Haspel. Just Security, April 11. https://www.justsecurity.org/55010/senate-gina-haspel/.

  • Henckaerts JM & Doswald-Beck L (2005) Customary International Humanitarian Law. International Committee of the Red Cross, Vols. I & II.

  • Higham, S (2004) Law Experts Condemn US Memos on Torture. Washington Post, August 5.

  • High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group (2016) Interrogation Best Practices. High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, Washington, DC.

  • High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group (2017) HIG Research Program, Bibliography. High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, Washington, DC.

  • Human Rights Committee (2004) General Comment 31, UN Doc CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.13.

  • Human Rights Committee (2014) Concluding observation on the fourth report of the United States of America, UN Doc CCPR/C/USA/CO/4.

  • Husayn (Abu Zubaydah) v. Poland, App. No. 7511/13, Eur. Ct. H.R. (2014).

  • International Committee of the Red Cross (2007) Confidential Report on the Treatment of Fourteen “High Value Detainees” in CIA Custody.

  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (signed December 16, 1966, entered into force March 23, 1976) 999 U.N.T.S. 171.

  • Isikoff M (2016) Senate report on CIA torture is one step closer to disappearing. Yahoo! News, May 16. https://www.yahoo.com/news/senate-report-on-cia-torture-1429636113023030.html. Accessed January 2018.

  • Jacobs B (2015) Donald Trump on waterboarding: ‘Even if it doesn't work they deserve it’. The Guardian, November 24. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/24/donald-trump-on-waterboarding-even-if-it-doesnt-work-they-deserve-it. Accessed January 2018.

  • Jacobson A (2017) Could the United States Reinstitute an Official Torture Policy? Journal of Strategic Security 10:97–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kant I (2002 [original version 1785]) Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals. In: Wood A (ed. and trans.) Rethinking the Western Tradition. Yale University Press, New Haven.

  • Kelly CE, Miller JC, Redlich AD, & Kleinman SM (2013). A Taxonomy of Interrogation Methods. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 19(2): 165–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, CE (2015) Developing a Science of Interrogation: Effective Interrogation Relies on Sound Moral Principles. The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues September 10. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sound-science-sound-policy/201509/developing-science-interrogation. Accessed January 2018.

  • Koh H (2014) America’s ‘Unequivocal Yes’ to the Torture Ban. Just Security, November 18. https://www.justsecurity.org/17551/americas-unequivocal-yes-torture-ban/. Accessed January 2018.

  • Koh, H (2010) Office of the Legal Advisor, US Department of State, Memorandum Opinion on the Geographic Scope of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

  • Lassiter GD & Meissner CA (2010) Police Interrogations and False Confessions: Current Research, Practice, and Policy Recommendations. American Psychological Association, Washington D.C.

  • Lederman, M (2017) Judge Chutkan’s Ruling on the Unidentified U.S. Citizen Detainee. Just Security, December 24. https://www.justsecurity.org/50176/judge-chutkans-ruling-unidentified-u-s-citizen-detainee/.

  • Leo R (2008) Police Interrogation and American Justice. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Levin D (2004) Acting Assistant Attorney General to James B. Comey, Deputy Attorney General, Re: Legal Standard Applicable Under 18 U.S.C. §§2340-2340A, December 30.

  • Luban, D (2014) Torture, Power and Law. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

  • Margolis D (2010) Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Memorandum of Decision Regarding the Objections to the Findings of Professional Misconduct in the Office of Professional Responsibility's Report of Investigation into the Office of Legal Counsel’s Memoranda Concerning Issues Relating to the Central Intelligence Agency’s Use of “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques” on Suspected Terrorists, January 5.

  • McCarthy T (2016) Donald Trump: I’d bring back ‘a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding’. The Guardian, February 7. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/06/donald-trump-waterboarding-republican-debate-torture. Accessed January 2018.

  • McKelvey T (2013) Boston bombings: How to interrogate a suspected terrorist. BBC News Magazine, April 24. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22227704. Accessed January 2018.

  • McLeod M (2014) Acting Legal Adviser McLeod: U.S. Affirms Torture is Prohibited at All Times in All Places, November 12–13. https://geneva.usmission.gov/2014/11/12/acting-legal-adviser-mcleod-u-s-affirms-torture-is-prohibited-at-all-times-in-all-places/. Accessed January 2018.

  • Meissner CA, Kelly CE, Woestehoff SA (2015) Improving the Effectiveness of Suspect Interrogations. Annual Review of Law and Social Science 11:211–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendez J (2016) United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Interim Report, U.N. Doc. A/71/298, August 5.

  • Mill JS (2nd ed. 1864) Utilitarianism, reprinted from Fraser’s Magazine.

  • Mitchell J with Harlow B (2016) Enhanced Interrogation: Inside the Minds and Motives of the Islamic Terrorists Trying to Destroy America. Crown Forum, New York.

  • Mitchell WC (1918) Bentham’s Felicific Calculus. Political Science Quarterly 33,2: 161–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al Nashiri v. Poland, App. No. 28761/11, Eur. Ct. H.R. (2014).

  • National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (2015) Public Law 114-92 §1045; 42 U.S. Code § 2000dd–2.

  • O’Mara S (2015) Why Torture Doesn’t Work: The Neuroscience of Interrogation. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • O’Mara S (2016) Mind Games: What Torture Does to the Brain. Foreign Affairs, January 15.

  • Obama, President Barack (2014a) Press Conference. August 1. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/01/press-conference-president. Accessed January 2018.

  • Obama, President Barack (2014b) Statement by the President Report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, December 9. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/09/statement-president-report-senate-select-committee-intelligence. Accessed January 2018.

  • Office of Professional Responsibility (2009) U.S. Department of Justice, (Final) Report, Investigation into the Office of Legal Counsel’s Memoranda Concerning Issues Relating to the Central Intelligence Agency's Use of “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques” on Suspected Terrorists.

  • Ohlin JD, Govern K & Finkelstein C (eds.) (2015) Cyberwar: Law and Ethics for Virtual Conflicts. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ost F & van de Kerchove M (2002) De la pyramide au réseau ? Pour une théorie dialectique du droit. Publications des Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis, Bruxelles.

  • Paust J (2009) The Absolute Prohibition of Torture and Necessary and Appropriate Sanctions. Val U L Rev 43: 1535–1576.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfiffner J (2014) The Efficacy of Coercive Interrogation. In: Lightcap T & Pfiffner J (eds.) Examining Torture. Palgrave Macmillian, Hampshire, UK, pp 127–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Physicians for Human Rights (2017) Nuremburg Betrayed: Human Experimentation and the CIA Torture Program.

  • Priest D (2004) Justice Department Memo Says Torture ‘May Be Justified’ Washington Post, June 13.

  • Rejali D (2007) Torture and Democracy. Princeton University Press, New Jersey.

  • Repko A (2011) Interdisciplinary Research: Process and Theory, 2nd ed. SAGE Publications, California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodley N with Pollard M (2009) The Treatment of Prisoners under International Law, 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roehm S (2017) The HIG Speaks on Effective Interrogation, Lawfare, April 11. https://www.lawfareblog.com/hig-speaks-effective-interrogation. Accessed January 2018.

  • Scarry, E (1985) The Body in Pain. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

  • Schmidt, MR and Furlow, JT (2005) “Schmidt-Furlow Report,” AR 15-6 Investigation into FBI Allegations of Detainee Abuse at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Detention Facility,

  • Shue H (1978) Torture. Phil. & Pub. Aff. 7: 124–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siderman de Blake V. Republic of Argentina, 965 F. 2d 699 (9th Cir. 1992).

  • Stone R (2015) Beyond Torture: The New Science of Interrogating Terrorists. Newsweek.

  • Taguba A (2004) “Taguba Report” On Treatment Of Abu Ghraib Prisoners In Iraq, Article 15-6 Investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade.

  • Todd C (2016) Interview - Trump on Waterboarding: ‘It Wouldn’t Bother Me Even a Little Bit’. Meet the Press, February 7. https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-february-7-2016-n513266. Accessed January 2018.

  • U.S. Department of State (2014) Full Transcript: U.S. Third Periodic Report to UN Committee Against Torture, November 12–13.

  • U.S. Senate, Committee on Armed Services (2008) Inquiry into the Treatment of Detainees in U.S. Custody. 110th Congress, 2nd Session.

  • U.S. Senate, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (2014) Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program. The University of Texas, Austin.

  • United Nations Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation (2005) for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law, General Assembly resolution 60/147, December 16.

  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) United Nations General Assembly, 217 A (III), December 10.

  • United Nations General Assembly Side-Event (2016) 71st Session. https://www.apt.ch/fr/resources/a-universal-protocol-for-investigative-interviewing-and-procedural-safeguards/. Accessed January 2018.

  • Vicens AJ (2017) Trump’s CIA Pick Said He Was Against Waterboarding. Then He Changed His Tune. Mother Jones, January 23. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/trump-cia-pick-mike-pompeo-waterboarding. Accessed January 2018.

  • Vrij A, Meissner CA, Fisher RP, Kassin, SM, Morgan CA, Kleinman SM (2017) Psychological Perspectives on Interrogation. Perspectives on Psychological Science 12: 927–955.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watkins A (2016) Obama’s Interrogation Methods, BuzzFeed News, July 13. https://www.buzzfeed.com/alimwatkins/documents-raise-disturbing-questions-about-detainee-abuse-un?utm_term=.ht6Nr4ydK#.vhPRM10Yb. Accessed January 2018.

  • Watkins A (2017) Elite terrorist interrogation team withers under Trump: Launched by President Barack Obama after CIA torture scandals, the High Value Detainee Interrogation Group is “floundering,” U.S. officials say. Politico, December 5. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/05/elite-terrorist-interrogation-trump-279930. Accessed January 2018.

  • White House (2016) Letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein. December 9. http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/4/4/446cfcf7-17ac-4196-a199-3fdc6a28e9b5/E7CD816F81A1BC3DD6BD9018FA3E79B8.wh-letter-on-torture-report.pdf. Accessed January 2018.

  • Williamson T, Milne B, Savage S (eds.) (2009) International Developments in Investigative Interviewing. Willan Publishing, Cullompton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong K (2017) Trump: Mattis’s view on torture will ‘override’. The Hill (Washington) January 27.

  • Zelikow P (2009) The OLC “Torture Memos”: Thoughts from a Dissenter, Foreign Policy, April 21. http://foreignpolicy.com/2009/04/21/the-olc-torture-memos-thoughts-from-a-dissenter/. Accessed January 2018.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Studies Institute/Faculty of Law, University of Geneva, Sciences II, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland

    Steven J. Barela

Authors
  1. Steven J. Barela
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven J. Barela.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Barela, S.J. On Obama and Ill-Treatment: Interdisciplinary Policy Against Torture’s Return. Hum Rights Rev 20, 1–21 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-018-0511-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-018-0511-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation