CIA Tortured, Sexually Assaulted Detainees: Physicians for Human Rights

The New York City based Physicians for Human Rights announced that the CIA's use of rectal hydration and rectal feeding on detainees is a form of sexual assault and torture.

WASHINGTON, December 11 (Sputnik) — The CIA's use of rectal hydration and rectal feeding on detainees as revealed in the US Senate report on enhanced interrogation constitutes sexual assault and torture, the New York City based Physicians for Human Rights said.

"This is a form of sexual assault, masquerading as medical treatment," Dr. Vincent Iacopino, the human rights group's senior medical adviser said in a statement Wednesday. "In the absence of medical necessity, it is clear that the only purpose behind this humiliating and invasive procedure is to inflict physical and mental pain."

The Senate report, released on Tuesday, described techniques of CIA interrogators, using rectal hydration and rectal feeding on at least five suspected terrorists. In several cases the CIA used the invasive practice because detainees were on hunger strike.

Physicians for Human Rights said that rectal hydration and feeding are not more effective in treating dehydration than other traditional techniques such as oral or intravenous injections of liquids and nutrients. The human rights group came to the conclusion that using the invasive technique was "likely used as punishment."

On Tuesday, the US Senate Select Intelligence Committee released a 500-page executive summary of the report, detailing their investigation into the CIA interrogation techniques, used on alleged al-Qaeda agents after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The full report contains 6,300 pages, describing the interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, threats of sexual assault, forced nudity, prolonged sleep deprivation, use of stress positions, mock executions, threats against children and family, use of power drills and many other torture practices that the CIA carried out in detention centers worldwide.