Is torture ever ethical?

I’ve never agreed with any form of torture but then again I haven’t actually taken the time to think it through thoroughly.

Recently I heard the telling of a story regarding a perpetrator who was beaten by Police officers in order to reveal information. I believe this to be wholly wrong in almost all cases however the following scenario was quite different.

A car was stolen with an infant occupant still in the back seat after the mother had left it briefly unattended, granted a foolish act but we can argue about the mother’s failings another time. The vehicle was then dumped in an unknown location with the baby sealed inside the car in sweltering hot conditions. We don’t need to think too hard to imagine how the baby would physically degenerate if left in such peril. We often hear of animals almost being baked alive and dying in hot cars.

Luckily the car thief was witnessed carrying out the crime and due to his distinct appearance and notoriety with the local Police he was located and apprehended quickly.

Being uncooperative and unwilling to reveal the location of the car he was assaulted by the Police officers until he was forthcoming with the needed information thus saving the infant. I’d like to say the officers justifiably broke protocol in carrying out the act but I’m sure the counter to that would be ‘this happens all too often.’ In this case lets assume the officers were stand up custodians of the law.

As a civilised western society we look at torture as being an unethical practice, that’s the official line anyway. In this case the police acted unethically as officers of the law but as humans and probable fathers they acted in their god given form to protect and serve in the truest sense.

Ask yourself what would you do in a situation such as that?

This person in custody was responsible for the almost drip feed murder of an innocent child where time was the key factor in its survival. If that was my child torture would be my first and only instinct. I’m sure I’d have his toenails removed by noon with no loss of appetite for lunch.

But where does this stop?

Supposing the Police could not find the car thief but they apprehended a previous accomplice or a partner who possessed information as to his whereabouts. Perhaps the police have checked this persons phone and they have found a text reading ‘I’m hiding out at the usual place, I’m destroying my phone so I can’t be tracked.’

This new individual to our story is innocent of any crime except withholding the location of the thief. To save the infant do the Police officers beat this individual knowing they will receive a positive outcome? I think I’d still consider toenail removal in this scenario.

So is it ever ethical to torture? Yes in some cases most definitely!

All comments welcome, thanks…