UK top court bans ‘torture evidence’

Britain’s highest court ruled on Thursday that information obtained using torture anywhere in the world was unacceptable as evidence in...

Britain’s highest court ruled on Thursday that information obtained using torture anywhere in the world was unacceptable as evidence in the British judicial system.

Human rights groups said the House of Lords ruling sent a clear signal to governments around the globe, who are wrestling with accusations they have benefited from information obtained by torture.

The issue has plagued US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on a European trip during which she has tried to convince sceptics Washington does not torture detainees despite reports of secret CIA prisons in East European countries and the covert transportation of prisoners.

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“Torture is an unqualified evil. It can never be justified. Rather it must always be punished,” said Lord Brown, one of seven Law Lords asked to rule on the issue.

The government said it did not condone torture, but that the burden to demonstrate that evidence used against them had been obtained by torture would be placed upon defendants. —Reuters