For immediate release - Tuesday 6 December
New survey reveals Australian attitudes to torture in conflict
Australians urged to remember importance of laws of war
A new Red Cross survey shows that the majority of Australians oppose torture in war but many
don’t know that torturing a soldier for information is wrong, while some think it is acceptable.
The Australian survey coincides with a global report on attitudes to war, conducted by the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which found overwhelming support for the
laws of war designed to protect civilians and healthcare.
Judy Slatyer, CEO of Australian Red Cross, says that while most Australians care very much
about their fellow human beings, others needed to better understand why humanitarian laws
and values matter.
“While 57% of people think that torturing an Australian soldier for military information should
not be allowed, 23% were undecided and 21% thought it was okay. Torture is illegal and
unacceptable in any circumstances. It has a devastating impact on those tortured as well as our
collective humanity.
“The survey finds that more Australians (23%) believe that torturing an enemy soldier for
information is acceptable than people from war-torn countries such as Syria (20%) and South
Sudan (18%).”
World War Two Royal Australian Air Force veteran Keith Campbell survived in prisoner of war
camps helped by Red Cross rations for three years after his plane was shot down in Germany.
Mr Campbell says: “There’s absolutely no excuse to torture any person, no matter what their
nationality or beliefs. To me, being subject to torture is barbaric.”
Australian men are more likely than women to agree that captured soldiers can be tortured to
obtain information. Overall, 24% of men think Australian soldiers can be tortured as opposed to
18% of women. People aged under 20 or over 65 are also less likely to support torture.
The ICRC “People on War” report is the result of 17,000 people being surveyed between June
and September across 16 countries. Ten countries were experiencing armed conflict at the time
including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and South Sudan. It is the largest survey of its kind ever carried
out by the ICRC.
“The global survey finds that more than four out of five people believe attacking hospitals,
ambulances and healthcare workers, in order to weaken an enemy, is wrong,” said Yves
Daccord, Director-General of the ICRC.
“In such troubled times, where we face constant, horrific reports from the world’s conflict
zones, it’s heartening that there’s overwhelming support globally in the belief that wars should
have limits. People truly believe in the importance of international humanitarian law, including
the Geneva Conventions,” Mr Daccord said.
There are worrying trends in the global survey. An increasing number of people are resigned to
civilian deaths as an inevitable part of warfare, particularly in Security Council countries; UK,
France, Russia, China, the United States. There’s also a growing indifference to the torture of
enemy soldiers, despite its absolute prohibition.
Ms Slatyer said: “The global results seem to show that people who live in mainly peaceful
countries need to be more compassionate and understanding. Here in Australia, I wonder if we
risk becoming numb to the true extent of human suffering and the consequences of war and
conflict for all of us.”
For more information contact:
Antony Balmain, Media Adviser, Australian Red Cross: 0408 018 609 or
[email protected]
Andrea Lunt, Communications Officer, ICRC Canberra: 0418 485 120 or [email protected]