Saudi interrogators tortured even prisoners whose statements were already public, forcing ritual humiliation

Evidence

It didn’t make sense, what they were doing. They already knew everything. His speech was on the internet. Why were they torturing him? They would ask him, “Did you say this or not?” and he would say, “Yes! You have the video!” He had been in the respectable opposition for decades. He didn’t have any secrets. But the assaults continued. And the punishment was not only physical. Every morning the captives would wake up with a portrait of Saudi king Abdullah facing them, and they would be tortured if they didn’t kiss it. — Vincent Bevins, If We Burn, 257

Categorization

• SHARE: The detail of captives forced to kiss King Abdullah’s portrait each morning, or be tortured, is a grim historical detail worth sharing with someone interested in Saudi state practice.
• XREF: connects to: Bahraini jailers tortured a captive for information they already had

Broader Connections

• Bahraini jailers tortured a captive for information they already had #exemplifies (0.72)