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Why the quotes?

Why are the quotes necessary around “tortured” here?:

'Tortured' Guantanamo Bay prisoner seeks release of secret videos

I should note that I actually do know the answer to that question, they’re using it as shorthand for the word “alleged”, however quotes like this have dual meanings – and more often it’s used sarcastically to diminish the claim of the object in quotes (eg: Fox news is a good source of “truth”).

I’m probably making a mountain out of a molehill, but given how the media treats non-westerners in interviews and the like, I have a hard time entirely dismissing that the use of quotes isn’t significant.

UPDATE:

Again, interesting use of quotes:

Iran Reports Killing of Nuclear Scientist in ‘Terrorist’ Blast
Regardless of who the guilty party is, it would be hard to argue that it isn’t terrorism, except of course that it was done to brown Muslim people who we consider our enemy.

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