Perspectives on Torture in Russia and the Balkan Peninsula

The people of Europe have experienced a long history of war over sovereignty, resources, and ideas. Typically, the major powers have fought for more power and more land, while the smaller countries have fought for their independence. Over the past millennia, these long and violent wars have had devastating consequences for the general populations of the warring nations. Some view torture as an ancient evil of European history that, today, is often justified from a utilitarian standpoint (Glass 1996; Samaha 1979). The violent historical experiences of these nations could help explain the current views on torture amongst the Europeans (Hodgson 2006).