What's wrong with torture?

The first 200 words of this essay...

There can be few issues on which international legal opinion is more clear than on the condemnation of torture. Offenders have been recognised as the "common enemies of mankind".1

Torture is the act of intentionally inflicting severe pain and suffering, physical or mental, on a person for such purposes as obtaining information or a confession, punishing, intimidating or coercing, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind; inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity, excluding torture related to pain arising from lawful sanctions.2

Torture has been received with strong universal condemnation and reprobation world-wide; it is clearly and absolutely prohibited in international law, even in times of wars or national emergency. Under international law, torture enjoys the more elaborate 'jus cogens' status, which means that no derogation is permitted as explained under the Vienna Convention. 3

The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1984 was concluded to strengthen the international position of repulsion towards torture. In its Article 4, it calls on all States to ensure that all acts of torture