“Psychological torture” is not a technical term of international law, but has been used in various disciplines, including legal, medical, psychological, ethical, philosophical, historical and sociological, for different purposes and in varying interpretations. The Special Rapporteur acknowledges that all of these understandings have their own legitimacy, validity and purpose in their respective fields. In line with the mandate bestowed upon him, the present report examines the concept of “psychological torture” from the perspective of international human rights law.
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