Episode 9 Discussion [rewatch]

[Silktie]

The UN Convention Against Torture defines the concept thus: "Any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions."

I'd say the sleep deprivation, the water laced with whatever to make him severely ill, as well as the siren they subjected Morgan to all constituted torture. All those things would constitute "crossing the line" as it were under normal circumstances. But I would also argue that this wasn't normal circumstances, in that they knew for certain an attack was planned and Morgan was part of it. They had to shift the line to safeguard the many innocent people.