At its Annual General Meeting, the membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists yesterday (11th July 2006) unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming its condemnation of psychiatric participation in the interrogation of detainees, whether in military or civilian settings.

The Resolution

1. The Royal College of Psychiatrists notes the concerns expressed worldwide regarding psychiatric participation in the interrogation of detainees.
2. The Royal College of Psychiatrists welcomes the recent statement regarding this issue by the American Psychiatric Association (1).
3. The Royal College of Psychiatrists welcomes the following statements in the Surgeon Generals Policy Letter Medical Support to Persons Detained by UK Forces whilst on Operations (2):

"It is a gross contravention of medical ethics, as well as an offence under applicable international instruments and UK law for health personnel, particularly registered medical practitioners, to engage, actively or passively, in acts which constitute participation in, complicity in, insightment to or attempts to commit torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
"Health personnel are only to be involved in professional relationships with prisoners or detainees for the purposes of evaluating, protecting or improving their physical and mental health."
"Health personnel are not to:
Apply their knowledge and skills in order to assist in the interrogation of prisoners and detainees in a manner that may adversely affect their physical or mental health; this includes certifying or stating that a detainee meets a specific mental or physical standard for interrogation.
Certify, or to participate in the certification of, the fitness of prisoners or detainees for any form of treatment or punishment that may adversely affect their physical or mental health, or to participate in any way in the infliction of any such treatment or punishment.
Question detainees about matters unless they are relevant to their medical care."
4. The Royal College of Psychiatrists reaffirms it support for:
   a. Principles of Medical Ethics in the Protection of Prisoners and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (3)
   b. Royal College of Psychiatrists Statement on torture and psychiatry (4)
   c. Madrid Declaration on Ethical Standards for Psychiatric Practice of the World Psychiatric Association (5)
   d. Good Medical Practice guidance of the General Medical Council (6)
   e. Good Psychiatric Practice guidance of the Royal College of Psychiatrists(7)
   

Footnotes to amended Resolution

1. APA position statement dealing with psychiatrists participation in interrogation of detainees held in either military or civilian detention. American Psychiatric Association, Toronto, 2006.
2. Medical support to Persons Detained by UK Forces whilst on Operations. Surgeon General Policy Letter Number 01/05, London, 2005.
3. Principles of Medical Ethics in the Protection of Prisoners and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 37/194, New York, 1982.
4. Royal College of Psychiatrists Council Statement, October 1998.
5. Madrid Declaration on Ethical Standards for Psychiatric Practice. World Psychiatric Association, Madrid 1996 and Yokohama 2002.
6. Good Medical Practice. General Medical Council, London, 2001.
7. CR125: Good Psychiatric Practice (Second edition). Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, 2004.