Disabled victims of torture

Nature

Victims of torture are disabled physically or mentally not by accident of birth or normal activity but by the deliberate infliction of injury. Torture victims often experience the mental sequelae as the worst ones: impairment of memory and concentration, nightmares and other sleep disturbances, sexual disturbances, fear, depression, fatigue, sense of guilt, feeling of isolation, loss of identity and very low self-esteem. This may be due to the fact that family and friends tend to respond negatively to psychological symptoms and with sympathy toward physical ones. Frequent physical sequelae are pains in muscles, joints and bones, headaches, gastro-intestinal symptoms and specific problems related to specific tortures. In additions the conditions of their imprisonment aggravate the physical and mental problems they face. They may suffer from malnutrition, infections and diseases from over crowding.

Background

While victims of torture have existed since ancient Egypt times, the tendency of the past few years has been for torture to be used not only as a means of repression of the individual, as was the case up to now, but as a means of mass political repression. At the same time the social situation changed. Those exercising torture today normally desire to leave as few obvious tracks as possible. Using the latest techniques and equipment torturers can be more systematic and goal oriented. Most victims of torture are released only after all objective effects have disappeared. Those who are injured beyond healing are often executed.

Incidence

Disabled individuals are disproportionately vulnerable to torture and ill-treatment worldwide, both in institutional settings and during conflict or detention. Reports from organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the United Nations indicate that people with physical, sensory, or intellectual disabilities are at heightened risk of abuse, including physical violence, forced restraint, and denial of essential care, in over 40 countries. The true scale is likely underreported due to stigma, lack of accessible complaint mechanisms, and fear of reprisals.
In 2022, Human Rights Watch documented the torture of disabled detainees in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, where individuals with psychosocial disabilities were subjected to beatings, electric shocks, and prolonged isolation.

Claim

Disabled victims of torture face unimaginable suffering, yet their plight is too often ignored. This is a grave injustice and a violation of basic human rights. The intersection of disability and torture magnifies vulnerability, making it urgent for governments and societies to act. We cannot remain silent while disabled individuals endure such cruelty. Addressing this issue is not optional—it is a moral imperative that demands immediate attention and action from the global community.