{"id":79816,"date":"2026-10-20T09:04:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T07:04:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dignity.dk\/?p=79816"},"modified":"2026-10-20T09:04:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T07:04:43","slug":"this-is-how-digital-abuse-can-become-torture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/this-is-how-digital-abuse-can-become-torture\/","title":{"rendered":"This is how digital abuse can become torture"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"79816\" class=\"elementor elementor-79816\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ebfad9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3ebfad9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47d6511 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"47d6511\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Digital abuse can, in extreme cases, amount to torture under international law. That is the conclusion of a new legal analysis by DIGNITY Senior Legal Adviser Grant Shubin for the Cyber Law Toolkit.<\/p><p>The hypothetical scenario follows a journalist targeted by a State through sustained surveillance, threats, online harassment, hacked intimate material and sexualised deepfakes. Together, the attacks cause severe psychological harm.<\/p><p>In the Q&amp;A below, Grant Shubin explains how existing torture law can apply to digital abuse and what this could mean for courts, investigators and human rights practitioners.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-04b9be1 eael-infobox-content-align--left eael-infobox-icon-bg-shape-none eael-infobox-icon-hover-bg-shape-none elementor-widget elementor-widget-eael-info-box\" data-id=\"04b9be1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"eael-info-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"eael-infobox icon-on-top\">\n\t            <div class=\"infobox-icon\">\n\n            \n            \n                            <div class=\"infobox-icon-wrap\">\n                    <span class=\"infobox-icon-number\"><\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"infobox-content\">\n                    <div class=\"infobox-title-section\">\n                <span class=\"title\">About the Cyber Law Toolkit<\/span>            <\/div>\n            <div><p>The Cyber Law Toolkit is an international, open-access resource on how international law applies to cyber operations, developed by partners including the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the University of Exeter.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left\"><!--EndFragment --><\/p><\/div>        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed74bdf elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"ed74bdf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0510ead elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0510ead\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Seven questions for Grant Shubin<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a4f729 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"9a4f729\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c9b0c1e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c9b0c1e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51a2dd2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"51a2dd2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-21dc748 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"21dc748\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">01<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe272b1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"fe272b1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;expanded&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2660\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" open>\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2660\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> You argue that wholly digital conduct can, in extreme cases, cause mental or psychological suffering severe enough to amount to torture. What kinds of digital abuse are we talking about? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2660\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17ec0e3 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"17ec0e3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1204607 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1204607\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We are talking about extreme forms of digital abuse, particularly when they are persistent, coordinated and difficult to escape. In the scenario, the victim receives thousands of intensely harassing messages, including misogynistic abuse and credible threats of sexual violence and death. Her devices and communications are placed under constant surveillance. Intimate images are hacked and published, AI is used to create sexualised deepfakes, and private messages are exposed in order to forcibly out her as a lesbian.<\/p><p>Like in many instances of torture, the suffering accrues cumulatively. When a person is subjected to harassment, threats, surveillance, sexual humiliation and exposure across every part of their digital life, continuously and over a prolonged period, the psychological impact can be severe\u2014and, as the scenario demonstrates, amount to torture.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"You argue that wholly digital conduct can, in extreme cases, cause mental or psychological suffering severe enough to amount to torture. What kinds of digital abuse are we talking about?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"We are talking about extreme forms of digital abuse, particularly when they are persistent, coordinated and difficult to escape. In the scenario, the victim receives thousands of intensely harassing messages, including misogynistic abuse and credible threats of sexual violence and death. Her devices and communications are placed under constant surveillance. Intimate images are hacked and published, AI is used to create sexualised deepfakes, and private messages are exposed in order to forcibly out her as a lesbian.Like in many instances of torture, the suffering accrues cumulatively. When a person is subjected to harassment, threats, surveillance, sexual humiliation and exposure across every part of their digital life, continuously and over a prolonged period, the psychological impact can be severe\\u2014and, as the scenario demonstrates, amount to torture.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-507c120 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"507c120\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9d8a182 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9d8a182\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">02<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68d0090 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"68d0090\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2dfe137 elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"2dfe137\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-4820\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-4820\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> There has already been discussion about \u201ccyber torture\u201d. What does that mean, and what does this scenario add that is new? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-4820\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fec1bb0 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"fec1bb0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c519d20 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c519d20\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In 2020, the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.un.org\/A\/HRC\/43\/49\">UN Special Rapporteur on Torture<\/a><\/strong> addressed Cyber Torture directly in a thematic report on psychological torture where he recognized that cyber technologies can be used to inflict severe mental suffering, including through surveillance, harassment, intimidation and public shaming.<\/p><p>What this scenario adds is a much more practical legal analysis. Rather than simply saying that cyber conduct can amount to torture, it takes a concrete factual pattern and works through the legal test, element by element: severe mental suffering, intent, prohibited purpose, State involvement and, for crimes against humanity, custody or control.<\/p><p>My hope is that by bringing a technical and legal analysis, we can shift the discussion from a general proposition to a framework that courts, investigators, and human rights practitioners can actually use in documenting torture when it is perpetrated via cyber means.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"There has already been discussion about \\u201ccyber torture\\u201d. What does that mean, and what does this scenario add that is new?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"In 2020, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture addressed Cyber Torture directly in a thematic report on psychological torture where he recognized that cyber technologies can be used to inflict severe mental suffering, including through surveillance, harassment, intimidation and public shaming.What this scenario adds is a much more practical legal analysis. Rather than simply saying that cyber conduct can amount to torture, it takes a concrete factual pattern and works through the legal test, element by element: severe mental suffering, intent, prohibited purpose, State involvement and, for crimes against humanity, custody or control.My hope is that by bringing a technical and legal analysis, we can shift the discussion from a general proposition to a framework that courts, investigators, and human rights practitioners can actually use in documenting torture when it is perpetrated via cyber means.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c0e34b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3c0e34b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df8b5ff elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"df8b5ff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">03<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-801e726 elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"801e726\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-1340\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-1340\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Your analysis works through the legal elements of torture one by one. Which of those elements are easiest to apply in the digital sphere - and which are the most difficult? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1340\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef963b5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ef963b5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10ca32b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"10ca32b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Some of the legal elements are relatively straightforward to apply in the digital sphere. Intent, for example, can be established from a coordinated campaign of hacking or surveillance. The prohibited purposes of torture\u2014such as intimidation, coercion, punishment or discrimination\u2014also translate quite readily. If a State deliberately targets a journalist with threats, sexualised abuse and surveillance because of her reporting, those purposes are not fundamentally different just because the conduct is carried out through digital or cyber means.<\/p><p>In the scenario, the public-official requirement is also straightforward because the campaign is carried out by a government agency. In real cases, however, State involvement may be much more obscured by the operators covering their tracks or acting anonymously. Having said that, from a practical perspective, operations like the one in the scenario require considerable technical capacity, access to surveillance tools, coordination and resources, all of which may provide important evidence of State involvement.<\/p><p>The trickiest question is severity: can conduct that happens through a phone, computer or online platform really cause suffering severe enough to amount to torture? People might assume that a victim can simply turn off the device, close or block an account, or walk away. The scenario is designed to show why that assumption can be wrong. Empirical studies increasingly show that sustained online harassment, cyberstalking and hate speech can be associated with serious psychological consequences, including anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, hypervigilance and, in some cases, suicidal ideation (see <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/2158244017710292\">here<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/20008066.2025.2522501\">here<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-025-16168-1\">here<\/a><\/strong>). When the abuse is persistent, follows the victim across platforms, includes surveillance, credible threats, forced exposure of intimate material and public humiliation, and becomes effectively inescapable, the psychological consequences can be profound.<\/p><p>The most important point is that we do not need new laws to properly confront torture carried out by cyber means\u2014existing torture law already provides the tools.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Your analysis works through the legal elements of torture one by one. Which of those elements are easiest to apply in the digital sphere - and which are the most difficult?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Some of the legal elements are relatively straightforward to apply in the digital sphere. Intent, for example, can be established from a coordinated campaign of hacking or surveillance. The prohibited purposes of torture\\u2014such as intimidation, coercion, punishment or discrimination\\u2014also translate quite readily. If a State deliberately targets a journalist with threats, sexualised abuse and surveillance because of her reporting, those purposes are not fundamentally different just because the conduct is carried out through digital or cyber means.In the scenario, the public-official requirement is also straightforward because the campaign is carried out by a government agency. In real cases, however, State involvement may be much more obscured by the operators covering their tracks or acting anonymously. Having said that, from a practical perspective, operations like the one in the scenario require considerable technical capacity, access to surveillance tools, coordination and resources, all of which may provide important evidence of State involvement.The trickiest question is severity: can conduct that happens through a phone, computer or online platform really cause suffering severe enough to amount to torture? People might assume that a victim can simply turn off the device, close or block an account, or walk away. The scenario is designed to show why that assumption can be wrong. Empirical studies increasingly show that sustained online harassment, cyberstalking and hate speech can be associated with serious psychological consequences, including anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, hypervigilance and, in some cases, suicidal ideation (see here, here, and here). When the abuse is persistent, follows the victim across platforms, includes surveillance, credible threats, forced exposure of intimate material and public humiliation, and becomes effectively inescapable, the psychological consequences can be profound.The most important point is that we do not need new laws to properly confront torture carried out by cyber means\\u2014existing torture law already provides the tools.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-edddad5 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"edddad5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb7213b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bb7213b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">04<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d2f397 elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"8d2f397\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-1480\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-1480\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> One of your key arguments is that \u201ccustody or control\u201d does not necessarily require physical detention. How can a person be under a perpetrator\u2019s control through their digital and online environment? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1480\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f9f73c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6f9f73c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6efcb12 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6efcb12\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cCustody or control\u201d is a distinct legal element for proving torture as a crime against humanity under the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.icc-cpi.int\/sites\/default\/files\/Publications\/Elements-of-Crimes.pdf#page=12\">Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court<\/a><\/strong>. (Which is to say it is not required to show torture as a human rights violation).<\/p><p>And it sounds, at first, like it must mean a prison cell or physical detention. But the legal authorities are broader than that. International criminal jurisprudence makes clear that formal detention is not required and that some form of control can be enough.<\/p><p>The scenario asks what that means for a digital environment. In the scenario, the perpetrators effectively dominate the victim\u2019s online and digital life. They monitor her communications, populate her inboxes and social-media accounts with threatening and degrading content, publish hacked and manipulated intimate material, and make it extremely difficult for her to escape the campaign because blocked accounts and removed content simply reappear elsewhere.<\/p><p>That kind of control can create a situation of profound powerlessness. The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.un.org\/A\/HRC\/43\/49\">UN Special Rapporteur on Torture<\/a><\/strong> has made a similar point, observing that people who are systematically targeted by cyber-surveillance and cyber-harassment may be left without any effective means of defence, escape or self-protection, placing them in a situation comparable, in that respect, to physical custody.<\/p><p>So whether the victim was in the \u2018custody or control\u2019 of the perpetrator is not as simple as \u2018was the victim locked in a room?\u2019 For digital or cyber environments, the more telling question is whether the perpetrator exercised such pervasive control over the victim\u2019s environment that she was effectively unable to escape or protect herself from the abuse.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"One of your key arguments is that \\u201ccustody or control\\u201d does not necessarily require physical detention. How can a person be under a perpetrator\\u2019s control through their digital and online environment?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"\\u201cCustody or control\\u201d is a distinct legal element for proving torture as a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. (Which is to say it is not required to show torture as a human rights violation).And it sounds, at first, like it must mean a prison cell or physical detention. But the legal authorities are broader than that. International criminal jurisprudence makes clear that formal detention is not required and that some form of control can be enough.The scenario asks what that means for a digital environment. In the scenario, the perpetrators effectively dominate the victim\\u2019s online and digital life. They monitor her communications, populate her inboxes and social-media accounts with threatening and degrading content, publish hacked and manipulated intimate material, and make it extremely difficult for her to escape the campaign because blocked accounts and removed content simply reappear elsewhere.That kind of control can create a situation of profound powerlessness. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has made a similar point, observing that people who are systematically targeted by cyber-surveillance and cyber-harassment may be left without any effective means of defence, escape or self-protection, placing them in a situation comparable, in that respect, to physical custody.So whether the victim was in the \\u2018custody or control\\u2019 of the perpetrator is not as simple as \\u2018was the victim locked in a room?\\u2019 For digital or cyber environments, the more telling question is whether the perpetrator exercised such pervasive control over the victim\\u2019s environment that she was effectively unable to escape or protect herself from the abuse.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4340298 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"4340298\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aefc80f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"aefc80f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">05<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ccf56fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"ccf56fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2140\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2140\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Why does the cumulative nature of the abuse matter? How do surveillance, threats, harassment, deepfakes, forced outing and intimate-image abuse interact to intensify suffering? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2140\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd567da e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"dd567da\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fa1ae29 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fa1ae29\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The cumulative nature of the abuse matters because severity of suffering is not always about one isolated act. A single threatening message or one episode of online harassment may not, by itself, amount to torture. But thousands of messages, constant surveillance, repeated threats, sexualised deepfakes, the circulation of intimate images and forced outing can accumulate and reinforce one another over time.<\/p><p>Torture law already recognizes this idea. Conduct that may not reach the threshold when viewed in isolation or in a single moment can become severely harmful when it is prolonged, repeated and combined with other forms of abuse. For example, in sensory or sleep deprivation, or solitary confinement duration and accumulation fundamentally change the impact on the victim.<\/p><p>Such cumulative pile up is what happens in the scenario. The victim cannot simply avoid one platform or block accounts. The abuse follows her across her phone, email, social media and workplace; threats are amplified by surveillance; intimate-image abuse is intensified by public humiliation and forced outing. Together, these acts create an omnipresent and unpredictable environment that produces severe psychological suffering.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why does the cumulative nature of the abuse matter? How do surveillance, threats, harassment, deepfakes, forced outing and intimate-image abuse interact to intensify suffering?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The cumulative nature of the abuse matters because severity of suffering is not always about one isolated act. A single threatening message or one episode of online harassment may not, by itself, amount to torture. But thousands of messages, constant surveillance, repeated threats, sexualised deepfakes, the circulation of intimate images and forced outing can accumulate and reinforce one another over time.Torture law already recognizes this idea. Conduct that may not reach the threshold when viewed in isolation or in a single moment can become severely harmful when it is prolonged, repeated and combined with other forms of abuse. For example, in sensory or sleep deprivation, or solitary confinement duration and accumulation fundamentally change the impact on the victim.Such cumulative pile up is what happens in the scenario. The victim cannot simply avoid one platform or block accounts. The abuse follows her across her phone, email, social media and workplace; threats are amplified by surveillance; intimate-image abuse is intensified by public humiliation and forced outing. Together, these acts create an omnipresent and unpredictable environment that produces severe psychological suffering.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-279df32 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"279df32\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d7b34a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3d7b34a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">06<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db3a208 elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"db3a208\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2290\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2290\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> The scenario is hypothetical, but it draws on documented practices from countries including Belarus, Ukraine, Myanmar and Ethiopia. How close is this legal scenario to what is already happening in the real world? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2290\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9dccad6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9dccad6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e0a7fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2e0a7fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Very close. The scenario is hypothetical, but the forms of abuse it describes are drawn from documented real-world practices.<\/p><p>The factual pattern brings together conduct seen in places including<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/freedomhouse.org\/country\/belarus\/freedom-net\/2022\">Belarus<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberlaw.ccdcoe.org\/wiki\/Video_of_alleged_beheading_of_a_Ukrainian_Prisoner_of_War_by_Russian_Forces_(2023)\">Ukraine<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberlaw.ccdcoe.org\/wiki\/Hate_speech_in_Myanmar_(since_early_2010s)\">Myanmar<\/a><\/strong>and<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cyberlaw.ccdcoe.org\/wiki\/Ethiopian_surveillance_of_journalists_abroad_(2017)\">Ethiopia<\/a><\/strong>: intrusive surveillance, hacking, coordinated harassment, threats, the misuse of personal information, posting of degrading images, and the weaponisation of digital platforms against journalists and other perceived opponents. The scenario also draws on broader examples such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/investigates\/special-report\/usa-spying-karma\/\">Project Raven<\/a> (were the UAE hacked into hundreds of iPhones belonging to political figures, activists, and perceived opponents and remotely obtain photos\u2014including compromising and sexually explicit images\u2014emails, text messages, location data, and saved passwords) and the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberlaw.ccdcoe.org\/wiki\/Pegasus_Project_revelations_(2021)\"><strong>Pegasus revelations<\/strong><\/a> (mobile phone spyware that can copy messages, harvest photos, record the phone owner&#8217;s calls, track the owner\u2019s movements, and switch on microphones and cameras for recording live video and audio).<\/p><p>So the hypothetical is not meant to imagine some distant future. It takes practices that already exist and asks what follows when we analyse them through the legal framework of torture. In that sense, the scenario is fictional, but the underlying conduct is not.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"The scenario is hypothetical, but it draws on documented practices from countries including Belarus, Ukraine, Myanmar and Ethiopia. How close is this legal scenario to what is already happening in the real world?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Very close. The scenario is hypothetical, but the forms of abuse it describes are drawn from documented real-world practices.The factual pattern brings together conduct seen in places includingBelarus, Ukraine, MyanmarandEthiopia: intrusive surveillance, hacking, coordinated harassment, threats, the misuse of personal information, posting of degrading images, and the weaponisation of digital platforms against journalists and other perceived opponents. The scenario also draws on broader examples such as Project Raven (were the UAE hacked into hundreds of iPhones belonging to political figures, activists, and perceived opponents and remotely obtain photos\\u2014including compromising and sexually explicit images\\u2014emails, text messages, location data, and saved passwords) and the Pegasus revelations (mobile phone spyware that can copy messages, harvest photos, record the phone owner&#8217;s calls, track the owner\\u2019s movements, and switch on microphones and cameras for recording live video and audio).So the hypothetical is not meant to imagine some distant future. It takes practices that already exist and asks what follows when we analyse them through the legal framework of torture. In that sense, the scenario is fictional, but the underlying conduct is not.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7718a8f elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7718a8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a26d52 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9a26d52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">07<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc0fcbc elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"cc0fcbc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2130\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2130\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> If this analysis is right, what should courts, prosecutors and human rights organisations start doing differently now? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2130\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02992a3 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"02992a3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-91c0994 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"91c0994\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The first step is recognition. Courts, prosecutors and human rights organisations need to recognize that torture can be perpetrated through digital and cyber means.<\/p><p>The traditional paradigm of torture \u2014 prisons, interrogation rooms, physical restraint \u2014 remains very real. But perpetrators are no longer limited to fists, batons or electrodes. They can also use spyware, botnets, algorithms, social media platforms and AI to surveil, threaten, humiliate, isolate and intimidate people.<\/p><p>For documenters, investigators, prosecutors, or judges recognition means looking at these abuses in a way that unpacks their torturous nature. This includes apprehending the full context and cumulative impact of such conduct, such as: the nature and content of the abuse; the means used to carry it out; its psychological or physical consequences for the victim; the duration of the conduct; how sustained or inescapable it became; the scale and reach of dissemination; the credibility and immediacy of threats; the extent of surveillance and intrusion into the victim\u2019s private life; the degree of control or powerlessness created by the campaign; the level of coordination required to carry it out; who was behind it; and what purpose it served.<\/p><p>Overall, the point is not to create a new category of harm, but to recognize when the torture we know is being carried out through new, in this case cyber, means.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"If this analysis is right, what should courts, prosecutors and human rights organisations start doing differently now?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The first step is recognition. Courts, prosecutors and human rights organisations need to recognize that torture can be perpetrated through digital and cyber means.The traditional paradigm of torture \\u2014 prisons, interrogation rooms, physical restraint \\u2014 remains very real. But perpetrators are no longer limited to fists, batons or electrodes. They can also use spyware, botnets, algorithms, social media platforms and AI to surveil, threaten, humiliate, isolate and intimidate people.For documenters, investigators, prosecutors, or judges recognition means looking at these abuses in a way that unpacks their torturous nature. This includes apprehending the full context and cumulative impact of such conduct, such as: the nature and content of the abuse; the means used to carry it out; its psychological or physical consequences for the victim; the duration of the conduct; how sustained or inescapable it became; the scale and reach of dissemination; the credibility and immediacy of threats; the extent of surveillance and intrusion into the victim\\u2019s private life; the degree of control or powerlessness created by the campaign; the level of coordination required to carry it out; who was behind it; and what purpose it served.Overall, the point is not to create a new category of harm, but to recognize when the torture we know is being carried out through new, in this case cyber, means.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-93235b0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"93235b0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2153411 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2153411\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff853bf e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ff853bf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-75e068d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"75e068d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"356\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/Grant.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-79873\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/Grant.png 356w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/Grant-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 356px) 100vw, 356px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b25cc77 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b25cc77\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0be28aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0be28aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Grant Shubin<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-49057da elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"49057da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><span class=\"article-byline-author__data__description--name\">Senior Legal Adviser<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"mailto:grsh@dignity.dk\">grsh@dignity.dk<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6e889e7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6e889e7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-wide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b476019\" data-id=\"b476019\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9dae32 elementor-hidden-mobile elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f9dae32\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fff5ddb elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"fff5ddb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b14466 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1b14466\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">More Q&amp;A's<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b501e04 elementor-grid-2 elementor-grid-tablet-2 elementor-grid-mobile-1 elementor-posts--thumbnail-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-posts\" data-id=\"b501e04\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;classic_row_gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:30,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_columns&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_row_gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"posts.classic\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-posts-container elementor-posts elementor-posts--skin-classic elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-80121 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-news\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/states-cannot-build-their-way-out-of-prison-overcrowding\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"542\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/More-prisons-wont-solve-overcrowding.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-80122\" alt=\"Why building more prisons won&#039;t solve overcrowding\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/More-prisons-wont-solve-overcrowding.png 873w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/More-prisons-wont-solve-overcrowding-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/More-prisons-wont-solve-overcrowding-768x520.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/states-cannot-build-their-way-out-of-prison-overcrowding\/\" >\n\t\t\t\tNew DIGNITY submission to UN: States cannot build their way out of prison overcrowding\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__meta-data\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-date\">\n\t\t\t13. October 2026\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__read-more-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/states-cannot-build-their-way-out-of-prison-overcrowding\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about New DIGNITY submission to UN: States cannot build their way out of prison overcrowding\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\tL\u00e6s mere \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-80019 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-news\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/new-dignity-manual-preventing-torture-through-better-prison-monitoring\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"542\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/Prison-monitoring.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-80020\" alt=\"Q&amp;A on new prison monitoring manual\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/Prison-monitoring.png 873w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/Prison-monitoring-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/Prison-monitoring-768x520.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/new-dignity-manual-preventing-torture-through-better-prison-monitoring\/\" >\n\t\t\t\tNew DIGNITY manual: Preventing torture through better prison monitoring\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__meta-data\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-date\">\n\t\t\t30. September 2026\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__read-more-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/new-dignity-manual-preventing-torture-through-better-prison-monitoring\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about New DIGNITY manual: Preventing torture through better prison monitoring\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\tL\u00e6s mere \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-78159 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-news\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/qa-new-report-documents-forcible-transfer-of-ukrainian-prisoners-to-russia-dignitys-legal-experts-explain-the-findings\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/QA-new-report-Ukrainian-prisoners.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-78165\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/QA-new-report-Ukrainian-prisoners.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/QA-new-report-Ukrainian-prisoners-300x177.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/QA-new-report-Ukrainian-prisoners-768x454.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/qa-new-report-documents-forcible-transfer-of-ukrainian-prisoners-to-russia-dignitys-legal-experts-explain-the-findings\/\" >\n\t\t\t\tQ&amp;A:\u00a0New report documents forcible transfer of Ukrainian prisoners to Russia. DIGNITY\u2019s legal experts explain the findings\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__meta-data\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-date\">\n\t\t\t1. July 2026\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__read-more-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/qa-new-report-documents-forcible-transfer-of-ukrainian-prisoners-to-russia-dignitys-legal-experts-explain-the-findings\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Q&amp;A:\u00a0New report documents forcible transfer of Ukrainian prisoners to Russia. DIGNITY\u2019s legal experts explain the findings\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\tL\u00e6s mere \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-74171 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-news\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/qa-this-is-what-we-know-about-torture-against-palestinians-from-gaza-inside-israeli-prisons\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/What-we-know-about-torture-against-Palestinians.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-74172\" alt=\"Illustration of three men blindfolded on their knees\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/What-we-know-about-torture-against-Palestinians.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/What-we-know-about-torture-against-Palestinians-300x177.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/app\/uploads\/What-we-know-about-torture-against-Palestinians-768x454.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/qa-this-is-what-we-know-about-torture-against-palestinians-from-gaza-inside-israeli-prisons\/\" >\n\t\t\t\tQ&amp;A: This is what we know about torture against Palestinians from Gaza inside Israeli prisons\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__meta-data\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-date\">\n\t\t\t13. May 2025\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__read-more-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/qa-this-is-what-we-know-about-torture-against-palestinians-from-gaza-inside-israeli-prisons\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Q&amp;A: This is what we know about torture against Palestinians from Gaza inside Israeli prisons\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\tL\u00e6s mere \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Digital abuse can, in extreme cases, amount to torture under international law. That is the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":80048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-79816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>This is how digital abuse can become torture - DIGNITY - Danish Institute Against Torture<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read Q&amp;A: A new DIGNITY legal analysis examines how torture can, in extreme cases, cross the legal threshold into torture.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/this-is-how-digital-abuse-can-become-torture\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"This is how digital abuse can become torture\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A new DIGNITY legal analysis examines how torture can extend beyond prisons and interrogation rooms and how State-sponsored surveillance, threats, harassment and sexualised deepfakes can, in extreme cases, cross the legal threshold into torture.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dignity.dk\/en\/news\/this-is-how-digital-abuse-can-become-torture\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"DIGNITY - 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