Into the abyss of evil: some reflections on torture and human rights/No abismo do mal: algumas reflexões sobre tortura e direitos humanos

The essay tackles the issues raised by the undeniable atrocity of torture and therefore on elaborating the necessity of a value judgment, totally compatible with the concept of law as a claim to justice. In the first part, I focus on historical evolution of torture. Then, theoretical strategies in support of the legitimization of torture will be addressed and critized. Finally, some remarks to intend to reject the use of torture as a manifestation of force and violence in any case will be made