Torture
Torture remains a widespread and deeply entrenched practice across India. Despite legal safeguards and institutional mandates, torture continues to be used not only as a tool of investigation, but also as a form of punishment, intimidation, and social control, disproportionately targeting marginalised communities.

Torture survivors, legal experts, and former members of the judiciary examined the systemic nature of torture in India and the alarming failures of accountability mechanisms on 23 June at a session on “Challenging Torture in India”. Through survivor testimonies and expert insights, the session explored how impunity persists, what gaps in judicial oversight allow it to flourish, and how both domestic and international strategies must evolve to confront it.

The sessions moved from exposing the prevalence and patterns of torture, to unpacking the role of judicial actors, and finally, to rethinking civil society’s approach—including whether a legal reform agenda is enough, and how India’s human rights community can engage more effectively at both national and international levels.
Henri Tiphagne

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Frontier
Vol 58, No. 5, Jul 27 - Aug 2, 2025