Canadian Band Skinny Puppy Complains to US Government for Using Their Music as Torture During Interrogations in Guantánamo [Video]

Canadian Electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy has presented a formal complaint to the US Department of State in which it demands $666,000 in copyright payments for the use of their music as torture during interrogations which took place in the Guantánamo naval base, in Cuba.

According to information published by the BBC, the Vancouver band sent the US government the bill with the symbolic amount after a band's fan who had served in the naval based told them that their songs had been used as background noise during interrogations which had the purpose of tormenting inmates.

Cevin Key, the keyboard player for the band, known for playing a mixture of electronic music with industrial rock, told the CBS that it's surprised and angry that his music helped torture prisoners in the infamous military base.

"I was told people were forced to listen to our music at an intolerable volume. These types of interrogatories would play our songs on repeat for 6 to 10 hours. After six hours (the prisoners) were humiliated and beaten. I simply can't imagine music being used like this," Key said.

Key, a founding member of the band, told Canadian media that they're studying the possibility of suing the US Department of Defense for the use of their music during interrogations in Guantánamo, according to the quoted source.

Although for the moment the Department of Defense has not confirmed nor denied these accusations, a military spokesman told the CBS that the Pentagon had not received the bill and highlighted that the institution had a commitment to treating prisoners in a humane manner.

The Guantánamo naval base in Cuba began operating in 2002 as a detention and interrogation center for prisoners of war in the War Against Terrorism. According to EFE, quoted by El Nuevo Herald, during its first years, the base used interrogation techniques considered to be torture and numerous organizations in favor of human rights have demanded that the base is shut down forever.

President Barack Obama has made several promises to close to the base as part of his electoral campaigns; however, 155 persons are still being held in the premises.

You can listen to the interview with Cevin Key via CBS here: