18 U.S.C. § 2340A — Torture

Page 610 TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE § 2340 Section 140(d)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authoriza- tion Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989, referred to in sub- sec. (a), is classified to section 2656f(d)(2) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. CHAPTER 113C—TORTURE Sec. 2340. Definitions. 2340A. Torture. 2340B. Exclusive remedies. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2002—Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, § 4002(c)(1), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1808, repealed Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(j)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3501. See 1996 Amend- ment note below. 1996—Pub. L. 104–132, title III, § 303(c)(1), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1253, redesignated chapter 113B as 113C. Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(j)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3501, which made identical amendment, was repealed by Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, § 4002(c)(1), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1808, effective Oct. 11, 1996. § 2340. Definitions As used in this chapter— (1) ‘‘torture’’ means an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifi- cally intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control; (2) ‘‘severe mental pain or suffering’’ means the prolonged mental harm caused by or re- sulting from— (A) the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suf- fering; (B) the administration or application, or threatened administration or application, of mind-altering substances or other proce- dures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or the personality; (C) the threat of imminent death; or (D) the threat that another person will im- minently be subjected to death, severe phys- ical pain or suffering, or the administration or application of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality; and (3) ‘‘United States’’ means the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the commonwealths, territories, and pos- sessions of the United States. (Added Pub. L. 103–236, title V, § 506(a), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 463; amended Pub. L. 103–415, § 1(k), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4301; Pub. L. 103–429, § 2(2), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4377; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title X, § 1089, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2067.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2004—Par. (3). Pub. L. 108–375 amended par. (3) gen- erally. Prior to amendment, par. (3) read as follows: ‘‘ ‘United States’ includes all areas under the jurisdic- tion of the United States including any of the places described in sections 5 and 7 of this title and section 46501(2) of title 49.’’ 1994—Par. (1). Pub. L. 103–415 substituted ‘‘within his custody’’ for ‘‘with custody’’. Par. (3). Pub. L. 103–429 substituted ‘‘section 46501(2) of title 49’’ for ‘‘section 101(38) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. App. 1301(38))’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 103–236, title V, § 506(c), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 464, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this sec- tion [enacting this chapter] shall take effect on the later of— ‘‘(1) the date of enactment of this Act [Apr. 30, 1994]; or ‘‘(2) the date on which the United States has be- come a party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.’’ [Convention entered into Force with respect to United States Nov. 20, 1994, Treaty Doc. 100–20.] § 2340A. Torture (a) OFFENSE.—Whoever outside the United States commits or attempts to commit torture shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both, and if death results to any person from conduct prohibited by this subsection, shall be punished by death or impris- oned for any term of years or for life. (b) JURISDICTION.—There is jurisdiction over the activity prohibited in subsection (a) if— (1) the alleged offender is a national of the United States; or (2) the alleged offender is present in the United States, irrespective of the nationality of the victim or alleged offender. (c) CONSPIRACY.—A person who conspires to commit an offense under this section shall be subject to the same penalties (other than the penalty of death) as the penalties prescribed for the offense, the commission of which was the ob- ject of the conspiracy. (Added Pub. L. 103–236, title V, § 506(a), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 463; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60020, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1979; Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 811(g), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 381.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2001—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–56 added subsec. (c). 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322 inserted ‘‘punished by death or’’ before ‘‘imprisoned for any term of years or for life’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective on the later of Apr. 30, 1994, or the date on which the United States has become a party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhu- man or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Nov. 20, 1994), see section 506(c) of Pub. L. 103–236, set out as a note under section 2340 of this title. § 2340B. Exclusive remedies Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as precluding the application of State or local laws on the same subject, nor shall anything in this chapter be construed as creating any sub- stantive or procedural right enforceable by law by any party in any civil proceeding.