Human Rights Group Skewers '24' For Graphic Torture Scenes

Jack Bauer May Not Be Able To Save '24' From This Attack

Someone else is after Jack Bauer.

The human rights organization Amnesty International launched the "Stop Torture" campaign this week, targeting a few of the most violent shows on TV. An official of the grassroots organization reportedly condemned programs like "24" and "Homeland" for having "glorified torture to a generation."

Jack Bauer certainly doesn't shy away from brutality. The show has become known for it's unflinching depictions of intense situations, from bombings and assassination plots to, of course, torture scenes. But the problem isn't that Amnesty believes people who see Kiefer Sutherland waterboard a terrorist on TV will get the idea to do it themselves, it is that these scenes desensitize viewers to the idea of physical abuse. The group believes that because viewers are treated to graphic portrayals of torture on TV, they aren't as concerned as they should be to find that similar methods of physical interrogation are used in real life.

Another concern of the group: how popular Jack Bauer is in countries that haven't adopted laws against torture. Many countries in Africa who have yet to join the "Stop Torture" bandwagon make up a huge fan base for shows like "24." Amnesty fears that without laws in place in these areas, tuning into a show that portrays torture as a useful and necessary tool to obtain information will encourage even more unrest in already volatile nations.

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