Psychological torture or mental torture is a type of torture that relies primarily on psychological effects, and only secondarily on any physical harm inflicted. Although not all psychological torture involves the use of physical violence, there is a continuum between psychological torture and physical torture. The two are often used in conjunction with one another and often overlap in practice, with the fear and pain induced by physical torture often resulting in long-term psychological effects, and many forms of psychological torture involving some form of pain or coercion.
A prisoner at Abu Ghraib shows fear of a U.S. army dog during prisoner abuse.
Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for various reasons, including punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties.
Captured Viet Cong soldier, blindfolded and tied in a stress position by American forces during the Vietnam War, 1967.
Two Elamite chiefs flayed alive after the Battle of Ulai, Assyrian relief
"The custody of a criminal does not require torture" by Francisco Goya, c. 1812
Tear gas used during the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests. Use of tear gas on protestors is sometimes considered a form of torture.
