waterboarding
Cloth-covered face flooding
Waterboarding is an interrogation technique in which a person is immobilized, their face covered with cloth, and water poured over it to simulate drowning.
The subject experiences the sensation of suffocation without actually dying.
Long used as torture, it became controversial when the U.S. government authorized its use on terrorism suspects after 2001, sparking debate over whether it constitutes torture.
Formal, probing examination
- detaineePerson held in custody
- CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
- GuantanamoUS base in Cuba
- enhanced interrogationEuphemism for abusive questioning
suffocation · confession · coercion · Abu Ghraib · black site · rendition · restraint · cloth
Callously causing suffering
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
- debateFormal argument on issues
- controversyProlonged public disagreement
outrage · abuse · scandal · protest · humanity · unethical · dignity · cruelty
Illegal acts during conflict
- Geneva ConventionsWartime humanitarian treaties
- human rights violationsBreaches of basic dignities
- international lawRules governing relations between countries
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
due process · extrajudicial · unconstitutional · prosecution · accountability · tribunal · prohibition · treaty
interrogation
Formal, probing examination
- detaineePerson held in custody
- CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
- GuantanamoUS base in Cuba
enhanced interrogation · suffocation · confession · coercion · Abu Ghraib · black site · rendition · restraint · cloth · inclined
inhumane
Callously causing suffering
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
- debateFormal argument on issues
controversy · outrage · abuse · scandal · protest · humanity · unethical · dignity · cruelty · justification
war crimes
Illegal acts during conflict
- Geneva ConventionsWartime humanitarian treaties
- human rights violationsBreaches of basic dignities
- international lawRules governing relations between countries
civil liberties · due process · extrajudicial · unconstitutional · prosecution · accountability · tribunal · prohibition · treaty · ban
- controversial practicesabortion, capital punishment, death penalty, euthanasia, torture
- military scandalsAbu Ghraib, Iran-Contra, Pentagon Papers, torture, cover-ups
- punishmentsjail, prison, timeout, grounded, fine
- rights abusestorture, ethnic cleansing, arbitrary detention, political prisoners, disappearances
- Gitmodetention camp, military prison, detainees, enemy combatants, interrogation
- torturerack, the rack, thumbscrew, thumbscrews, iron maiden
waterboardingcomfort
Ease or soothing relief
care · rescue · resuscitation · compassionate care · healing
waterboardinghuman rights protection
Safeguarding inherent individual freedoms
humane treatment · dignity · due process · habeas corpus · constitutional protection