Australia to prohibit secret service torture
New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, right, and Australian Federal Police Acting Commissioner Andrew Colvin describe how 800 federal and state police officers raided more than two dozen properties as part of the operation in Sydney, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. AP
CANBERRA, Australia — The Australian government has bent to public pressure by proposing a specific prohibition on secret service officers torturing suspected terrorists.
The government had planned to indemnify Australian Security Intelligence Organization against all criminal offenses committed in the course of their undercover work except for homicide, causing serious injury, sexual assault and serious damage to property.
Attorney General George Brandis announced on Monday that torture would be added to that list, after the opposition and other critics complained that ASIO officers should not be protected from legal liability for torturing suspects.
Bandis says because torture is against Australian law, no operation involving torture could ever be authorized.
ASIO’s Secretary-General Duncan Lewis says torture is contrary to Australia’s international obligations and his organization had never tortured suspects.
