Protocol on medico-legal documentation of solitary confinement

Abstract

Introduction. This Protocol originates froma joint project regarding documentation ofpsychological torture initiated by the PublicCommittee against Torture in Israel (PCATI),REDRESS and DIGNITY - Danish InstituteAgainst Torture (DIGNITY) in 2015 afterthe Copenhagen Conference on PsychologicalTorture. The project is a vehicle to establisha common understanding between healthand legal professions as to how to best ensurethe most accurate documentation of torture.The aim of the Protocol is to improve documentationof solitary confinement and thereforeto clarify the facts of the case so thatstronger legal claims can subsequently be submittedto local and international complaintsmechanisms. The Protocol has been developedbased on a methodology involving a compilationand review of legal and health knowledgeon solitary confinement and discussionsamong the authors and in a group of internationalexperts.Methods and Results. This Protocol iscognisant of the significance of the specificsocial, cultural and political contexts in whichsolitary confinement is used. We hope that thisProtocol will assist in the discussions betweenthe various stakeholders and provide guidanceon what can be documented and how to documenttorture.