In order to sustain the newly formed democracy, I think that the practical should be the primary consideration. This is certainly not to excuse the atrocities of torture, particularly state-sponsored torture that is used against its people. But the problem lies in the subjectivity of morality. In a newly-restored democracy that suffered in the process, there will inevitably be people that chant “Neither amnesia nor vengeance—justice!” However, there will also be sympathizers who may claim that the violence used was necessary to reinstate democracy. And as frustrating as it may be, these people now have a say in how the government works. Not allowing the proponents of torture to speak for themselves and persecuting them without trial or representation would undermine the entirety of the restored system.

This question also seems to assume that democracy is a cure-all for society, which I think is a mistake. Government actions based on pure morals are not characteristic of democracies but of autocracies. Morality varies by person, so by nature, democracies cannot accommodate everything that people think is “right.” The basis of democratic society is compromise which can often be painful, as we can see here. I think the best way to move forward is to govern practically with the hope of achieving a moral good. The opposite seems like a slippery slope back out of democracy.