Torture Victim Protection Act Law and Legal Definition
The Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 imposes a civil liability on a person who subjects a person to torture or extrajudicial killing. This law is applicable not only to the U.S. citizens but also to other foreign nationals. The Act creates a claim or a cause of action in tort for those acts which violate international law. The Act thus creates a private right of action.
The Act is usually being used by :
1. the victims who was subjected to any torture by the agents of U.S.; and
2. the victims of terrorism to sue foreign states that have been designated by the U.S. as state sponsors of terrorism.
