Denailing

Denailing is the extraction of the nails from the fingers and/or toes, either as an accident, a medical procedure to treat severe nail infections, or as a method of torture.

Health consequences

Removed nails are capable of growing back normally over several months if the nail matrix is left intact through surgical extraction. However, if the matrix is damaged by trauma, it can result in an overgrowth of tissue from the proximal nail fold, resulting in the formation of pterygium. Particularly, if the nail matrix is burnt by a heated instrument, subsequent growth may produce nails which are striped, thin, or broken into longitudinal segments.{{cite book|title=Istanbul Protocol: Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment|date=2004|publisher=United Nations|location=New York and Geneva|pages=29–38|edition=Professional Training Series No. 8/Rev.1|url=http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/training8Rev1en.pdf|accessdate=28 October 2016}}

History of use as torture

The United Nations Istanbul Protocol describes nail removal and the insertion of objects such as wire under the nail as forms of torture. G. R. Scott, A History of Torture (London: Merchant, 1996).

In the aftermath of Italy's republican referendum after World War II, efforts to prosecute former officials in the Fascist government for collaborationism and war crimes resulted in the legal differentiation between the concepts of normal brutality, cruel brutality, and particularly cruel brutality. Only in the case of particularly cruel brutality would the accused be rejected for amnesty. Denailing was generally considered to fall under the first two categories, as for a brutality to be considered particularly cruel, it had to "horrify even those who are familiar with torture."{{cite journal|last1=Caroli|first1=Paolo|title=The Role of the Judiciary Within the Construction of Collective Memory. The Italian Transition.|journal=Wroclaw Review of Law, Administration & Economics|date=2014|volume=5|issue=1 |page=169|url=http://wrlae.prawo.uni.wroc.pl/index.php/wrlae/article/view/100/138|accessdate=28 October 2016}}

Modern use

= Venezuela =

Venezuelan activist {{Ill|Ángela Expósito|es|Ángela Expósito}} has been subject to denailing while in detention, starting in 2018, among other torture methods.{{Cite web |last=Mozo Zambrano |first=Reynaldo |date=2022-10-09 |title=Ángela Expósito, sometida a torturas de la edad media #PresasPolíticas |url=http://efectococuyo.com/la-humanidad/le-aplicaron-torturas-de-la-edad-media-angela-exposito-de-defender-animales-a-los-barrotes-del-sebin-presaspoliticas/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Efecto Cocuyo |language=es |quote=Le arrancaron de raíz unas uñas con una tenaza, dormía en un colchón sucio y lleno de sangre, hacia sus necesidades en un pote plástico, siempre en un cuarto pequeño muy frío y con la luz encendida noche tras noche.}} The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela documented that senior lieutenant Franklin Caldera, detained on 2019 during the Nicolás Maduro administration, was subjected to several methods of torture, including cutting and insertion of needles under his fingernails.{{Cite book |url=https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/FFMV/A-HRC-48-CRP.5_SP.pdf |title=Conclusiones detalladas de la Misión internacional independiente de determinación de los hechos sobre la República Bolivariana de Venezuela |publisher=Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela |date=16 September 2021 |pages=144, 146 |language=es}} On 3 November 2022, pro-government colectivos attacked and denailed four female students of the University of the Andes that were protesting against the visit in Mérida state of Diosdado Cabello, vice-president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).{{Cite web |date=2022-11-03 |title=Estudiantes de la ULA fueron agredidas por chavistas: les arrancaron uñas de las manos |url=https://monitoreamos.com/venezuela/estudiantes-de-la-ula-fueron-agredidas-por-chavistas-les-arrancaron-las-unas-de-las-manos |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=Monitoreamos |language=es}}

= Nicaragua =

Under the Daniel Ortega administration, political prisoners in Nicaragua have been subjected to torture, including denailing.{{Cite web |last=Miranda |first=Carlos Salinas Maldonado, Lorena Arroyo, Wilfredo |date=2021-07-20 |title=Exilio, miedo, cárcel y muerte: el coste de la resistencia en Nicaragua |url=https://elpais.com/internacional/2021-07-20/exilio-miedo-carcel-y-muerte-el-coste-de-la-resistencia-en-nicaragua.html |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=El País |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-02 |title=El Chipote, la cárcel de los horrores sandinistas |url=https://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2021/07/03/60dc32d821efa0f95e8b4597.html |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=El Mundo |language=es}}{{Cite web |last=Medina Sánchez |first=Fabián |date=2 January 2022 |title=Los 38 métodos de tortura que utiliza el régimen de Daniel Ortega contra los presos políticos |url=https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2022/01/02/los-38-metodos-de-tortura-que-utiliza-el-regimen-de-daniel-ortega-contra-los-presos-politicos/ |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=infobae |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=2019-03-30 |title=Noches de interrogatorios y torturas en El Chipote |url=https://4tomono.com/distopia/preso-politico-narra-como-fue-torturado/ |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=4to Mono |language=es}}

In film

Some films have denailing scenes{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}:

References

Category:Nails (anatomy)

Category:Torture