The Dark World of Torture-for-Hire Services and Their Clients

Torture is one of the most horrific crimes against humanity, yet it continues to be practiced in many parts of the world, often with impunity. But what if you could hire someone to torture another person for you, for a fee? Sounds like a twisted fantasy, right? Unfortunately, it's not. There are websites and online platforms that offer torture-for-hire services, where clients can pay to have someone kidnapped, tortured, or even killed.

How does it work?

According to some reports, these websites operate on the dark web, a hidden part of the internet that is inaccessible through normal browsers and requires special software to access. The dark web is notorious for hosting illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, child pornography, and assassination markets. Some of these websites claim to be run by former military or intelligence operatives, who have the skills and resources to carry out the orders. Others are run by criminal gangs, who use violence and intimidation to get what they want.

The clients of these websites are usually motivated by revenge, jealousy, hatred, or curiosity. They can request various types of torture, such as electrocution, waterboarding, beating, burning, or cutting. They can also specify the duration, intensity, and location of the torture. Some websites even offer live streaming or video recording of the torture, so that the clients can watch or download the footage. The prices vary depending on the complexity and risk of the operation, but they can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

How common is it?

It is hard to estimate how common these torture-for-hire services are, as they operate in secrecy and anonymity. However, there have been some cases that have been exposed by law enforcement or media investigations. For example, in 2017, a British man named Matthew Falder was arrested for running a dark web site called "Hurt2theCore", where he blackmailed hundreds of victims into performing acts of self-harm and torture on themselves or others, and then shared the images and videos with other users. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for 137 offenses, including encouraging rape, sexual exploitation of children, and voyeurism.

Another example is the case of Yevgeniy Nikulin, a Russian hacker who was accused of hacking LinkedIn, Dropbox, and Formspring in 2012, and stealing millions of user data. In 2016, he was arrested in Prague, and extradited to the US in 2018. During his trial, it was revealed that he had hired a torture-for-hire service to kidnap and torture a former associate, who he believed had betrayed him. He paid $50,000 to have the associate abducted in Moscow, and tortured for six hours, while he watched the live stream from his laptop. He was convicted of hacking and identity theft, and sentenced to 88 months in prison.

What are the ethical and legal implications?

The existence of these torture-for-hire services raises serious ethical and legal questions. Torture is a grave violation of human rights, and is prohibited by international law under any circumstances. It causes severe physical and psychological harm to the victims, and often leaves lasting scars and trauma. It also degrades the dignity and humanity of both the perpetrators and the clients, who are complicit in the crime. Furthermore, torture is ineffective and unreliable as a means of obtaining information, as the victims may lie or confess to anything to stop the pain.

The legal challenges of combating these torture-for-hire services are also formidable. The dark web is difficult to monitor and trace, and the perpetrators and clients often use encryption, anonymization, and cryptocurrency to evade detection and prosecution. The jurisdictional issues are also complex, as the torture may take place in a different country than where the client or the website is based. The cooperation and coordination of different law enforcement agencies and governments are essential to track down and arrest the offenders, and to rescue and protect the victims.

What can be done to stop it?

The fight against torture-for-hire services requires a multi-pronged approach, involving awareness, prevention, detection, and prosecution. The public needs to be aware of the existence and dangers of these websites, and to report any suspicious or illegal activity to the authorities. The internet service providers and platforms need to prevent and remove any content or service that promotes or facilitates torture, and to cooperate with law enforcement in investigations. The law enforcement agencies need to detect and infiltrate these websites, and to identify and arrest the perpetrators and clients. The courts need to prosecute and punish the offenders, and to provide justice and compensation to the victims. The civil society and human rights organizations need to advocate and campaign for the abolition of torture, and to provide support and rehabilitation to the survivors.

Torture-for-hire services are a dark and disturbing phenomenon that must be stopped. They are not only a threat to the individual victims, but also to the society and the world at large. They undermine the values and principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. They erode the trust and respect among people and nations. They fuel hatred and violence, and create a culture of fear and impunity. We must not tolerate or ignore them. We must expose and confront them. We must end them.