Manfred Nowak Quotations

The only condition that we did not accept was that we would have no access to detainees and I am very confident that since we accepted the invitation in the spirit of compromise, the United States will compromise,

We very, very carefully considered all of the arguments posed by the US government. There are no conclusions that are easily drawn. But we concluded that the situation in several areas violates international law and conventions on human rights and torture.

I think that described very, very well the situation. You get very, very weak because of not being able to move, and being in this particular position, of course, your whole body starts hurting. He endured it, but he felt, and I would agree, that this was torture.

It is important that the EU (plays) its part in convincing the U.S..

I think there is ample evidence that both police and other security forces have been and are continuing to systematically practice torture, in particular against dissidents or people who are opponents of the regime.

My particular concern is the strong interest of the system that people finally admit guilt.

The practice of torture, though on decline particularly in urban areas, remains widespread in China.

We want to have all information about secret places of detention because whenever there is a secret place of detention, there is also a higher risk that people are subjected to torture.

Torture is practiced systematically by the security forces, ... This was admitted by high officials of both the army and police.

Torture and ill treatment are systematically practiced in Nepal by the police, armed police and the Royal Nepal Army in order to extract confessions and to obtain intelligence, among others things,

Fact-finding on the spot has to include interviews with detainees. What's the sense of going to a detention facility and doing fact-finding when you can't speak to the detainees? It's just nonsense.

Either they should be released or brought before an independent court in the U.S. or in the country of origin to be judged there.

Every secret place of detention is usually a higher risk for ill treatment, that the danger of secrecy.

They say they have nothing to hide. If they have nothing to hide, why should we not be able to speak with detainees?

It only means that there is need for an impartial and independent investigation.

It makes no sense (to go). You cannot do a fact-finding mission without talking to the detainees.

In forced feeding of hunger-strikers, if the accusations are true, the ways and means reach the level of torture.

If there is a substantial risk in a certain country like Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, etc., then diplomatic assurances cannot be used. If a country usually and systematically practices torture, then of course they would deny they were doing it because it is absolutely prohibited.

I haven't heard that before. ... It's a new allegation.

I am 100 percent sure. I have evidence.

Among them is that prisoners are exposed to extreme temperatures, or long detention in isolation.