Campaigners aim to stamp out torture

Burmese torture victims (left and second right) support the Amnesty campaign in Tokyo

Torture is commonplace in two thirds of the world's countries, according to a new report by the human rights pressure group, Amnesty International.

Torture feeds off discrimination

Amnesty report

It occurs in democratic states as well as military or authoritarian regimes, the report says in its worldwide review of torture over the last three years.

The majority of victims are criminals or suspected criminals, but ethnic and sexual minorities, immigrants and asylum seekers are also particularly vulnerable groups.

In armed conflicts children have been tortured to coerce or punish their parents, and women have been raped on a massive scale, the report says.

Torture-free zones

"People are beaten with fists, sticks, gun butts, makeshift whips, iron pipes, baseball bats, electric flex," Amnesty says.

Torture facts

70 countries - torture widespread

80 countries - deaths from torture

40 countries - electric shock torture

30 countries - feet beaten

50 countries - mock executions

50 countries - children ill-treated

"Victims suffer bruises, internal bleeding, broken bones, lost teeth, ruptured organs and some die."

In more than 70 states tortured or ill-treatment by state officials was widespread, and in over 80 people were reported to have died as a result.

Amnesty calls on governments to declare "torture-free zones".

To publicise its campaign, it will wrap public buildings and other sites it declares to be torture-free zones with special tape.

Racism link

The report says there is a "clear link between racism and torture".

Human rights protesters said Pinochet tortured his enemies

"Torture feeds off discrimination. It is easier for the torturer to inflict pain on someone who is seen as less than human," the report says.

Many or most victims of torture in Europe or the USA are black or from ethnic minorities, it adds.

Amnesty says that immigrants have died during deportation in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the UK, apparently as a result of excessive use of force or dangerous methods of restraint.

It claims law enforcement agencies in a number of countries - including France and the USA - are guilty of using such techniques as sustained beatings on criminal suspects.

Amnesty staff have learned of the routine use of electric shock on suspects in India, mutilations in Columbia and canings in Saudi Arabia and Kenya.

Kate Allen, the UK director of Amnesty, said the British Government should be leading the way in outlawing torture around the world.

'Beneath the law'

She said: "Governments must acknowledge that no one is beneath the law's protection or beyond its reach."

Ms Allen pointed out a legal loophole enabled British manufacturers to export instruments of torture around the world.

When the former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London in 1998 there followed a long campaign by human rights campaigners to indict him for torturing thousands of Chilean political prisoners.

Irish pop group The Corrs launched Amnesty's campaign in a Dublin jail

Amnesty International believes the House of Lords' landmark Pinochet decision that former heads of state are not immune from prosecution sets an important example.

Ms Allen said: "The case has transformed the human rights landscape. It's paved the way for other alleged torturers to be held to account."

Women's organisations, religious groups and trade unions are all supporting the campaign. They hope that politicians will do more to protect minority groups around the world.

Amnesty is also backing the creation of an International Criminal Court where victims could petition for protection from torture, and torturers could be brought to book.

In addition it wants governments to enshrine the right for all detainees to have access to lawyers, doctors and relatives.