Torture in the United States facts for kids

Torture in the United States includes cases of torture reported in the United States and outside the USA by U.S. government workers.

Torture and the War on Terror

The United States and other countries involved in the War on Terror have used torture to get information from suspected terrorists. Some of the most well known cases of torture involving the U.S. are the Abu Ghraib scandal and Guantanamo Bay.

Abu Ghraib Prison

Starting in 2004 there were reports of abuse of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The New Yorker newspaper had an article in May 2004 about the abuse and the article had pictures that were taken by soldiers involved. According to an investigation by the Department of Defense called the Taguba Report, the military had been looking into the abuse since 2003. In the end nine soldiers were discharged from the military and sent to prison.

Guantanamo Bay

Human rights organisations like Amnesty International have said CIA agents used inhumane ways to get information out of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Because of the abuse President Barack Obama ordered the base to be closed down.

See also

In Spanish: Tortura en los Estados Unidos para niños