Surely this has made news around the world???
If not ... i'm gonna help make it be that way!
The Sydney Morning Herald - October 1, 2006 - 6:17PM - Sleep deprivation not torture: Ruddock
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sle ... 05282.html
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock says the use of sleep deprivation to gain intelligence from terror suspects should not be considered torture.
Mr Ruddock's comments follow the passing of new laws in the United States that ban torture but allow interrogators to use aggressive interrogation techniques against terror suspects - including sleep deprivation.
In Washington to meet American officials to discuss the military commissions set up to trial terror suspects, including Australian David Hicks, Mr Ruddock said the US decision to ban torture as an interrogation method outright could make it more difficult to break up terrorist plots.
"The point the United States has made is that it will not use torture and those instructions have been given to their agencies and that may well limit the capacity of intelligence organisations in the future," Mr Ruddock today told ABC TV.
Sleep deprivation, Mr Ruddock said, was not torture.
"I don't regard sleep deprivation as torture. I've not heard it being put in that way," he said.
Specialist challenges Ruddock's torture claim - October 02, 2006 12:55pm - By staff writers and wires
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20508720-2,00.html
KEEPING suspected terrorists awake for days is a form of torture, a sleep specialist has said, despite Philip Ruddock's claims it should not be considered as such.
Flinders University professor Leon Lack made the comments after Attorney-General Philip Ruddock yesterday said depriving alleged terrorists of sleep as part of interrogation should not be considered torture.
"Sleep deprivation would be a stress because you're depriving a person of a basic biological drive, just like if you deprive them of food or drink for long periods of time they get pretty desperate," Prof Lack has said on ABC radio.
"If it's used in a torturous way, then it's torture."
Speaking from Washington yesterday, Mr Ruddock told ABC TV that sleep deprivation was not torture and he also said the US ban on torture could harm the US-led military coalition's campaign against terrorists.
"The point the United States has made is that it will not use torture and those instructions have been given to their agencies and that may well limit the capacity of intelligence organisations in the future," he said.
"I don't regard sleep deprivation as torture. I've not heard it being put in that way."
The Guardian - 11 October, 2006 - Ruddock backs torture
http://www.cpa.org.au/garchve06/1294torture.html
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has laid some more of his government’s anti-democratic plans on the table by endorsing the use of torture in the interrogation of terrorism suspects. Ruddock stated last week that forcing suspects to stay awake for days was not torture. "I don’t regard sleep deprivation as torture", said Ruddock on his return from the US early this month where he was briefed on new laws allowing for torture. No doubt Australia will follow suit.
The US Military Commissions Act, introduced by the Bush administration and passed by Congress last month, rubber stamps human rights violations, including the use of torture.
The responses to Ruddock’s statement were swift and telling. One, from 86-year-old Cyril Gilbert, a former World War II prisoner of war on the Burma-Thai Railway, wiped Ruddock’s assertion away saying sleep deprivation was a common tactic used by their Japanese captors. "He’s never experienced anything, has he", said Mr Gilbert.
Professor Leon Lack of Flinders University also labelled sleep deprivation torture: "If it’s used in a tortuous way, then it’s torture."
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said it was illegal for Australian Federal Police to use sleep deprivation. "The AFP is committed to operating under our legislation", said Keelty. He said the AFP was "constrained by legislation and quite appropriately so." But for how long?
This one makes for a particularly interesting read ... http://www.leftwrites.net/2006/10/05/sl ... pravation/
And the guns were blazing in this discussion forum ... http://www.resist.com.au/forum/topic.as ... 4091ᨦ
And the articles go on ... and on ... and on ....
http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/ ... 24958.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/ ... 90392.html
if you're after more ... just follow the google link below ...
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&c ... nt&spell=1
If there's any free time at the conference next month ... i'm sure it would make a great topic!
Hmmmm ... maybe Mr Ruddock might benefit from a few Quality of Life Statements from those of us who are involuntarily tortured through sleep deprivation almost every day of our lives.
If you feel so inclined to let the honourable minister know about his views, his contact details are as follows:
The Hon Philip Ruddock MP
Title: Attorney General.
Party: Liberal Party of Australia
Parliament House Contact
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: +61 2 6277 7300
Fax: +61 2 6273 4102
Electorate Office Contact
Hornsby Office:
Location:
Level 3, 20 George Street
Hornsby NSW 2077
Postal Address:
PO Box 1866
Hornsby Westfield NSW 1635
Tel: +61 2 9482 7111
Fax: +61 2 9482 7018