----- Original Message ----- From: "J. van Boardwalk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Brin-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2002 8:26 AM Subject: Re: Treatment Of Prisoners (was RE: Tragedy in Israel)
> At 20:23 11-1-02 -0600, Dan Minette wrote: > > > > Principle 5 of the UN Principles of Medical Ethics: > > > > > > It is a contravention of medical ethics for health personnel, particularly > > > physicians, to participate in any procedure for restraining a prisoner or > > > detainee unless such a procedure is determined in accordance with purely > > > medical criteria as being necessary for the protection of the physical or > > > mental health or the safety of the prisoner or detainee himself, of his > > > fellow prisoners or detainees, or of his guardians, and presents no hazard > > > to his physical or mental health. > > > > > > >Well, you've shown why it was justified, Jerone. There was strong evidence > >that the people involved posed a risk to themselves and others. Under those > >circumstances, restraint and sedation are acceptable..even in a medical > >setting. > > Any criminal who faces a long jail sentence or even the death penalty has a > very good reason to try and escape, and even use violence (perhaps even > kill) to accomplish that. Yet, I can not imagine that US Law Enforcement > has "restraint and sedation" as standard practice for all those criminals. I understand how logical your conjecture seems to you, but data should trump theorizing. The actions of AQ members when held captive indicates that these captives pose a far greater risk for violent resistance of capture than the average felon mass murderer. Restraint of prisoners in transit, including shackles, is not uncommon. I know it is used in Europe for people guilty of nothing more than overstaying a visa, so there is no need to be shocked by this. There are even songs about it, for goodness sakes. As far as the use of sedation, it isn't common because people rarely become violent when shackled. But, you do note that it is approved when "necessary for the protection of the physical or mental health or the safety of the prisoner or detainee himself, of his fellow prisoners or detainees, or of his guardians, " Now, its clear to me that this includes more than the risk of becoming sick after being bit by a prisoner. Thus, a shackled prisoner who, on a plane, starts pulling on his shackles and screaming, bloodies his hands that way, and doesn't stop would certainly fit this criterion. Finally, if I were falsely arrested, and knew I had to spend a month in prison before it was cleared up, I'd much much rather be at the US base in prison than up the road 30 miles in Huntsville. A prison society is not a pleasant society. > >Good job of research. :-) > > I will take that as a compliment. :-) It was meant as one. You did gather relevant documents and made them available. Dan M.
