Re “Stop the C.I.A. Spin on Torture,” by Antonio M. Taguba (Op-Ed, Aug. 6):

The Senate’s report on torture by the Central Intelligence Agency is expected to shed further light on the complicity of health professionals in the systematic torture and ill treatment of detainees. Much of this information is already public and documented in reports by Physicians for Human Rights and others.

Before lawyers wrote memos distorting the definition of torture, psychologists worked in concert with interrogators to develop methods intended to exploit the vulnerabilities of detainees and to inflict physical and mental pain. Psychologists and doctors monitored the application of torture techniques and calibrated the level of pain.

As detainees suffered — and in some cases, died — health professionals routinely failed to report, document or stop the abuse.

Doctors, psychologists and other medical professionals played a central role in conferring a facade of safety and legitimacy to the C.I.A.’s illegal, immoral and unethical practices. In doing so, they betrayed the core ethical principle of the healing professions: Do no harm.

To ensure that these violations are never repeated, we must hold accountable the people complicit in these acts, as well as those who ordered them.

VINCENT IACOPINO
Senior Medical Adviser
Physicians for Human Rights
Henderson, Nev., Aug. 6, 2014

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