Trade in the tools of torture
The U.S. government OKs the export of shackles and stun guns
Most of the time, though, no one knows who manufactured the tools of torture. In August 2002, Turkish police in the town of Hakkari reportedly blindfolded 28-year-old Zahide Durgun, tortured her with electric shocks to the ear, and beat her, according to Amnesty International. The police wanted Durgun, an ethnic Kurd, to say she belonged to a political party opposed to the Turkish government. Another Kurdish woman, Sukriye Beyter, was blindfolded and shocked days later at the same police station, according to Amnesty. These victims couldn't possibly be expected to be sure what device was used to make them suffer--or whether the implements of torture were made in America.
TURNING A BLIND EYE
The Commerce Department granted licenses to U.S. companies exporting shock weapons and restraints to countries cited by the State Department for torture.
2001 2002
Argentina 3 1
Azerbaijan 1
Bahrain 1
Bangladesh 2
Bolivia 2 1
Brazil 3 3
Cambodia 1
Colombia 4 1
Dominican Republic 4 4
Ecuador 5 5
Egypt 1
Guatemala 12 4
Haiti 2 2
Honduras 2 2
India 1 2
Indonesia 3 2
Israel 9 0
Jordan 1 1
Kenya 1
Lebanon 2
Macedonia 1
Malaysia 1 1
Mexico 26 8
Morocco 1
Mozambique 1
Namibia 1
Nicaragua 4
Nigeria 1
Paraguay 1
Peru 10 2
Philippines 1 2
Russia 1
Saudi Arabia 2 7
South Africa 4 2
Sri Lanka 1
Tunisia 2
Turkey 3
Venezuela 11 19
Yemen 1
Totals 116 84
Total export applications for electric shock devices and restraints, 2001-2002: 534
Approved: 518 (97 percent)
Denied: 16 (3 percent)
Total applications for countries cited for torture: 214
Approved: 202 (94 percent)
Denied: 12 (6 percent)
Sources: Commerce Department export licenses; State Department
USN&WR
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