Torture in the United States

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There are cases, both documented and alleged, that involve the usage of torture by members of the United States government, military, law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies, health care services, and other public organizations both in and out of the country.

Torture is illegal in the United States.^[1] The United States came under scrutiny for controversial practices, both from foreign and domestic sources, following the Military Commissions Act of 2006.^{[citation needed]}

After the U.S. dismissed United Nations concerns about torture in 2006,^[2] one UK judge observed 'America's idea of what is torture ... does not appear to coincide with that of most civilized nations'.^[3]

While the term "torture" has a variety of definitions and cultural contexts, this article addresses only those practices qualifying as torture under the definition of that term articulated in the codified law (primarily statutory) and case law of the United States.^{[nb 1]}

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative^[4] gives the US a score of 3.6 out of 10 for the right to freedom from torture and ill-treatment.^[5]

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