18 USC § 2340A - Torture

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s2340A"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 2340A - Torture"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "2340A"
section_name: "Torture"
chapter_number: 113
chapter_name: "TORTURE"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 103–236, title V, § 506(a), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 463; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60020, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1979; Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 811(g), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 381.)"
---


# § 2340A. Torture

**(a)** **Offense.—** Whoever outside the United States commits or attempts to commit torture shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both, and if death results to any person from conduct prohibited by this subsection, shall be punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life.

**(b)** **Jurisdiction.—** There is jurisdiction over the activity prohibited in subsection (a) if—

**(1)** the alleged offender is a national of the United States; or

**(2)** the alleged offender is present in the United States, irrespective of the nationality of the victim or alleged offender.

**(c)** **Conspiracy.—** A person who conspires to commit an offense under this section shall be subject to the same penalties (other than the penalty of death) as the penalties prescribed for the offense, the commission of which was the object of the conspiracy.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 103–236, title V, § 506(a), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 463; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60020, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1979; Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 811(g), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 381.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2001—Subsec. (c).  added subsec. (c).

1994—Subsec. (a).  inserted “punished by death or” before “imprisoned for any term of years or for life”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the later of , or the date on which the United States has become a party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (), see , set out as a note under .