Pentagon Wants Psychologists to Reverse Ban on Aiding Torture

Edited by Ed Newman
2016-08-06 12:58:13

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Washington, August 6 (RHC)-- The Pentagon is pushing military psychologists to pass a resolution at this year's conference that would allow members to help with torture practices. The largest psychologists’ association in the United States is reconsidering its ban on helping with torture practices.

At its annual conference in Denver, the American Psychological Association votes on whether to ignore its “do no harm” obligation and allow members to help out with “enhanced interrogation” tactics—a euphemism for torture—at CIA black sites and other detention centers like Guantanamo Bay.

Following a years-long controversy over collusion between psychologists and the U.S., Defense Department, confirmed by the Hoffman Report released last year, the APA introduced strict rules to prevent even tangential aid to torture programs.

A “small but powerful group” of military psychologists and former APA leaders are pushing for a rollback, according to psychologist Stephen Soldz, who advocated for the ban. According to the Colorado Independent, the Pentagon pushed the APA to introduce the resolution doing away with is prohibition on being an accessory to violations of international law.

 



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