Experts ask why authorities have failed to investigate psychological torture

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Experts have expressed concern that authorities in Uganda cannot ably investigate and document cases of psychological torture.

Alex Kigoye, the head of Programs at the African Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV) says that it is worrying that even when cases are reported at the Police and court, the system cannot ably evaluate victims and as a result, they often conclude that the victim is telling lies.

While, the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act in Uganda spells out that psychological torture is distinct from physical torture as it defines torture to means any act or omission, by which severe pain or suffering whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person, Kigoye says they have had many cases of psychological torture that have been mismanaged.

Globally, the United Nations set out a comprehensive definition of psychological torture for the first time in 2020 and defines it as all methods and circumstances that purposefully inflict, or intend to inflict severe mental pain and suffering.

Psychological torture directly targets psychological needs such as security, self-determination, dignity, social rapport, and communal trust and Kigoye says failure to determine that the person was tortured and merely conclude that they are lying while they’re not can worsen mental distress.

Dr Hafisa Lukwata, the Commissioner of Mental Health says assessment of individuals who have suffered psychological torture wouldn’t be difficult if a health worker pays attention during history taking.

“There’s no such a diagnosis called psychological torture but as a health worker, you can tell from someone’s mood and the way they answer questions that they have been tortured. Even mere observation can give a health worker clues”, she told URN in an interview.

The Criminal Investigations Department of the Uganda Police has now developed a checklist that officers use to assess if someone has suffered torture or not.

According to Paul Kirya a Communications Officer at ACTV this will go a long way in helping to document and determine torture cases.

Speaking to URN on Friday, Kirya said a lot of torture cases have long been categorized as mere assault, especially among adults, and as a result of this, previous annual crime reports have not been presenting this evidence.

While the Uganda Human Rights Commission reported recording about a hundred cases of torture last year, Kirya says the center received 1250  torture complaints which is an indicator that there is underreporting.

For him, physical torture is inseparable from psychological torture as for many of the cases that they have handled psychological wounds remain for long after physical wounds have recovered.

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URN