Torture

Torture is the practice of inflicting extreme pain on a captive subject.

While the pain inflicted during torture is often physical in nature, it can also possess an emotional or mental character.

Purposes
Torture (or the threat of torture) can be intended to:


 * Serve as a disincentive to the subject against withholding information from the torturer
 * Force the subject into an altered state of mind in which they are more likely to confess misdeeds or swear on lies, as a consequence of the autonomic elevation of neurotransmitter levels
 * Intimidate the subject
 * Induce someone responsible for the safety of the subject to provide information desired by the torturer
 * Punish the subject for disobedience or unsuccessful escape from captivity
 * Condition the subject to accept the torturer's authority without question
 * Please the torturer, for example, sadism
 * Test the reactions or limits of the subject

Torture can be directed not only to the subject tortured, but to persons forced to watch or whom the cruelty of the act is told for any purpose described above, as well as in order to force sacrifice.

As implied above, torture is considered by some to be useful during interrogations. However, Captain Jean-Luc Picard asserted to Gul Madred that "torture has never been a reliable means of extracting information. It is ultimately self-defeating as a means of control. One wonders it is still practiced."

Acts of torture were in theory banned by the Seldonis IV Convention, however governments who were signatories to the treaty would often attempt to find ways around this restriction. The Cardassians were one such example, who justified their torture of Jean-Luc Picard in 2369 by claiming the treaty only applied to those acting on behalf of a treaty signatory, which Picard would not admit to doing. 

Incidence
Races known to sanction the use of torture include:


 * Humans
 * Suliban
 * Klingons
 * Andorians
 * Kazon
 * Romulans
 * Ekosians
 * Cardassians
 * Ardanans
 * Anarchists of Tilonus IV

Torture is common in the mirror universe.

Torture was also a common practice in Earth's authoritarian and anarchic nation states, prior to the founding of the United Earth government. 

Appearances

 * - Klaang appears to have been tortured when Archer and Tucker rescue him from the Suliban helix
 * - Archer is tortured by Shran
 * - T'Pol and Malcolm Reed are tortured by Silik
 * - An Osaarian is tortured by Archer
 * - Archer is tortured by Dolim
 * - Doctor Lucas and his assistant are tortured by the Augments
 * - Soval is tortured by Shran
 * - Terev is tortured by Major $𝜇$, $𝜇$ and Reed are tortured by Captain Forrest, the Tholian prisoner is tortured by $𝜇$
 * - James T. Kirk is tortured by Tristan Adams
 * - Leonard McCoy and James T. Kirk are tortured by Vians
 * - Governor Cory and Kirk are tortured by Garth
 * - Vanna is tortured in interrogation by Plasus despite protest by Kirk
 * - Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is tortured by the Romulans via his VISOR implants
 * - Captain Picard is tortured by Gul Madred
 * - O'Brien is tortured by the Cardassians
 * - Odo is tortured by Elim Garak
 * - Luther Sloan is apparently tortured by the Romulans
 * - Commander Chakotay is tortured by Maje Culluh and Seska
 * - Crewman Noah Lessing is tortured by Captain Kathryn Janeway
 * - Captain is tortured by Nero
 * - Luther Sloan is apparently tortured by the Romulans
 * - Commander Chakotay is tortured by Maje Culluh and Seska
 * - Crewman Noah Lessing is tortured by Captain Kathryn Janeway
 * - Captain is tortured by Nero
 * - Captain is tortured by Nero
 * - Captain is tortured by Nero

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