Journal de Medecine Legale Droit Medical
Volume 50, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 191-196

Forensic medical examination of refugees who claim to have been tortured: A French study [Constatations médico-légales chez les réfugiés alléguant être victimes de torture] (Article)

Hérin F.* , Faurie C. , Dedouit F. , Soumah M. , Grill S. , Blanc A. , Rougé D. , Telmon N.
  • a Service de Médecine Légale, Hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31403 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
  • b Service de Médecine Légale, Hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31403 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
  • c Service de Médecine Légale, Hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31403 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
  • d Service de Médecine Légale et Médecine du Travail, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
  • e Service de Médecine Légale, Hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31403 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
  • f Service de Médecine Légale, Hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31403 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
  • g Service de Médecine Légale, Hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31403 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
  • h Service de Médecine Légale, Hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31403 Toulouse Cedex 4, France

Abstract

Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment". In this study, results concerning the medical examinations of 76 torture victims performed at the department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Toulouse, France, 2003-2006, are presented and discussed. Data including age, sex, country, torture methods and sequelae were analysed with Stata 9 and Statistica 6. Many of the victims had scars. Only 4% of lesions appeared to be specific sequelae of torture. Forensic medical examination can be a tool for collecting evidence of torture, even if for most cases it is impossible to prove that torture occurred once the lesions have healed.

Author Keywords

Exile Refugees Forensic medicine Torture

Index Keywords

male controlled study human female Torture refugee legal evidence Article medical examination scar formation forensic medicine adult Adolescent Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-37249074442&partnerID=40&md5=d89d4b52bca08c7d603cadebcf14280b
ISSN: 02496208
Original Language: French