Okay the Inquisition doubtless tortured some folks but you picked the worst example to make your point-

> Despite its reputation as a medieval instrument of torture, there is no evidence of the existence of iron maidens before the 19th century.

I think you misunderstood OP- I think he's saying that there was propaganda across the board, including both treatment of people like Gallileo, and also including techniques such as the iron maiden.

I take his point to be precisely that the iron maiden wasn't really used.