Torture debate: Chief Justice lays down law (Australia)

[struggle4progress]

Marian Wilkinson
October 7, 2006

THE Chief Justice of the High Court, Murray Gleeson, has publicly intervened in the debate on terrorism, speaking against the use of torture, forced confessions and detention without trial.

In a speech to the annual Judicial Conference in Canberra yesterday, Justice Gleeson noted that torture was "never lawful in Australia" and was abolished in Britain in 1640 after Guy Fawkes was forced to sign a confession under torture in the Tower of London.

Justice Gleeson quoted from the international convention against torture, saying it required states not only to prohibit torture but to "suppress and discourage the practice of torture and not to condone it".

The Chief Justice's comments come at a sensitive time for the Federal Government, with the Bush Administration debating what is acceptable in the so-called war against terrorism ...

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/torture-debate-chief-justice-lays-down-law/2006/10/06/1159641533690.html

[Erika]

1. Torture is not acceptable

unless you are a bushbot. W has disgraced this country beyond belief. Any of his Christian supporters should be ashamed they ever supported him.

[pacalo]

2. It's hard to count how many ways he has lowered the standards

of this country.

[EST]

3. After all these years, my history is a little faded.

I have daymares of the appropriate punishment for boosh the torturer.
It was Edward the confessor, in the mid eleventh century, I think, who died from being tortured by having a red hot poker shoved up his ass.

For the man who is arguably the greatest mass murderer since Saddam Hussein, what would be the right thing?

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Not Edward the Confessor

who was generally liked, very pious (hence 'Confessor'), founded Westminster Abbey, and died peacefully. Edward II is said to have received the red hot poker, though, in the fourteenth century - while historians dispute whether that actually happened, he was deposed by his wife and son, and died shortly afterwards, assumed murdered.

[EST]

5. Thank you.

I think I confused myself with a joke I stumbled over in high school world history class.
(Now, if I could just remember the rest of the joke-!)