Clinical features associated with forms of torture - Electric shocks

Electric shocks are commonly used because they cause severe pain but may not leave identifiable physical signs. The equipment can be basic or high tech. In electric torture, the current travels along nerves and blood vessels as they offer lower resistance. When the current travels, it causes contractions of the muscles and severe pain. Genitals and breasts are often targeted and the victim could be threatened with loss of reproductive function. The mouth is extra sensitive and can be targeted.

There can be complaints of severe pain due to muscle contraction. It can cause dislocation of joints and if chest muscles are involved, difficulty in breathing. If it passes through the heart, it can cause arrhythmia leading to sudden death. It can also lead to loss of control of urine and defecation if the muscles of the bladder and rectum are affected.

One examination, areas of reddening can be present for weeks. The electrodes can sometimes leave small burns, possibly from sparking. These tend to be circular and less than 0.5 mm in diameter. They can also create hyperpigmentation. They can corroborate allegations of electric shock torture if they are in the parts of body alleged to have been targeted.

In cases of electric shock, 3-4 mm punch biopsy under local anesthesia can show deposition of calcium salts on dermal fibers in viable tissue around necrotic areas and on collagen fibers deep in the dermis.

Biopsy one month after alleged electric torture shows a conical scar with increased number of fibroblasts and tightly packed thick collagen fibres parallel to the surface. Biopsy five days after torture via battery driven electric instrument shows non-specific alterations with sub-epidermal bullae consistent with thermal injuries.

Even if an examination does not reveal any abnormal findings, the possible use of electrical torture cannot be excluded. The use of high-frequency ultrasound may be helpful to discover the location of calcium deposits in order to select an area for biopsy.

Electrical torture via electrodes shaped like a knitting needle, “Picana”, leaves clus- ters and linear arrangements of 1-5 mm wide lesions, covered by red-brown crusts, sometimes surrounded by a 1-2 mm broad, erythematous zone with irregular and in- distinct edges.