Together Against Torture 26 June 2007
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
26 June 2007 Together against Torture The IRCT’s Global Report on the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims Table of Contents Together against Torture The International Rehabilitation Council for Tor- Preface by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 4 The IRCT’s Global Report on the ture Victims (IRCT) is an independent, international Introduction by the Secretary-General of the IRCT 5 United Nations International Day in health professional organisation, which promotes Support of Victims of Torture – 26 June 2007 and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims Campaign material 2007 6 © International Rehabilitation Council and works for the prevention of torture worldwide. for Torture Victims (IRCT) The vision of the IRCT is a world that values and ac- Anti-torture TV-spot 8 cepts shared responsibility for the eradication of IRCT torture. Campaign activities worldwide 10 Borgergade 13 P.O. Box 9049 The United Nations Convention against Torture 32 This publication was produced with the generous 1022 Copenhagen K - status of ratification Denmark support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Join the 26 June 2008 campaign! 34 Phone: +45 33 76 06 00 The views expressed in this report can in no way Fax: +45 33 76 05 00 be taken to reflect the official opinion of the above How to support the IRCT 35 E-mail: [email protected] institutions. The country activities portrayed in this Website: www.irct.org report are based on the submission of reports as ISBN: 87-88882-13-1 received from campaign participants. ISSN: 1603-3272 2007 Layout: Peter Fallesen, [email protected] Printed by: Handyprint A/S • 26 June 2007 Together against Torture • Preface by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Exhibition arranged by Al-Karama Center for Rehabilitating Victims Boat race arranged by the Independent Medico Legal Unit, of Violence and Torture, Bahrain Kenya The United Nations International Day in Support of talk about their experiences of torture with public In 2007, this day also marked a milestone in the The 26 June campaign demonstrates that across the Victims of Torture – commemorated annually on 26 officials, who, in turn, are often untrained in how to fight against torture: the 20th anniversary of the world there are thousands of citizens determined to June – honours the strength and courage of torture identify signs of torture. Without rehabilitation, tor- coming into force of the United Nations Convention do what they can to ease the suffering of torture vic- victims and reminds the world of our moral, legal, ture victims may suffer silently, their trauma in turn against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and De- tims and to erase torture from our world. Torture is professional, and ethical responsibilities to eradicate affecting their families and communities. grading Treatment or Punishment. The Presidential an abhorrent crime, but when we gather under the torture and other human rights violations. Statement on the 20th anniversary of the entry into slogan “together against torture” we work to fight Displacement, too, can increase vulnerability to force of the Convention, which was adopted unani- torture in all its forms. Victims of torture come from all walks of life. They torture and inhumane treatment, especially among mously by the Human Rights Council at its 6th ses- may have been targeted because of ethnic, political, women and children. Those who cannot access ref- sion, confirmed the centrality of the Convention for religious or cultural differences. For some, the threat uge through normal asylum channels may resort to global efforts to eradicate torture. The Convention or consequences of torture are so great that they are irregular mechanisms to reach a safe country, and be rests on the fundamental conviction that torture is forced to seek safety away from their homes. In this exploited and abused at the hands of traffickers and incompatible with our most basic values and funda- António Guterres regard, a significant number of the world’s refugees, smugglers. mental rights. Its purpose is to protect men, women United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees asylum seekers and internally displaced persons have and children from torture and to ensure torture sur- experienced physical and psychological torture. On 26 June, torture rehabilitation centres and pro- vivors’ right to rehabilitation and redress. Accord- grammes, human rights groups and ordinary citizens ingly, it also prohibits the forcible return of persons Fleeing one’s homeland in search of a more secure throughout the world call for an end to this suffering. to places where they are in danger of being subjected future can exacerbate the trauma of torture. Yet for Through a range of public activities, they speak with to torture, and thus complements the non-refoule- many refugees and asylum seekers, this trauma goes one voice against torture and spread the message ment provision in the 1951 Convention relating to the unrecognised. Torture victims often find it difficult to that rehabilitation is possible. Status of Refugees. • 26 June 2007 Together against Torture • Introduction by the Secretary-General of the IRCT Under the direction of the Italian centre VI.TO - Hospitality and Care for Victims of Torture, Consiglio Italiano per i Rifugiati (CIR) a cast composed of 15 torture survivors performed a theatre piece entitled “The Dreams from Exile” on 26 June 2007. Since 1998, the United Nations International Day in forts by a TV-spot emphasising “you can do some- Far too many persons who migrate or flee their Support of Victims of Torture has offered an oppor- thing to stop torture”. The spot was broadcast on place of residence in search of protection from tor- tunity to speak out against torture globally. Each television and radio in 20 countries. Many groups ture become exposed to torture once again during 26 June, human rights defenders unite under the also took advantage of this year being the 20th an- their flight. To seek a place of refuge is their right, common slogan “Together against Torture” and niversary of the UN Convention against Torture and and it is a moral and legal obligation for the inter- demand that torture survivors’ needs and rights Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or national community to provide adequate treatment be fulfilled and that torture be eradicated from all Punishment. Some called on their governments to for the physical or psychological wounds that so societies. be more transparent in investigating and reporting many refugees and internally displaced persons incidents of torture, while others pressed for the have sustained. As an umbrella organisation representing the glo- ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Conven- bal movement against torture, the IRCT helps to co- tion. This report presents the IRCT’s annual compendium ordinate 26 June activities around the world. And of 26 June activities, and illustrates the truly inter- each year we continue to be impressed with the Underlining the importance of 26 June and the Con- national spirit of this day. We hope that it is a use- tremendous creativity shown by torture rehabilita- vention against Torture was a global reading of a ful and inspirational tool in spreading the message tion centres and programmes as they spread the statement signed by Manfred Nowak, the UN Spe- that together we can do something about torture. anti-torture message. Street parades, press confer- cial Rapporteur on Torture, and the IRCT. This state- ences, a picnic, plays, film screenings, letter writ- ment, read out in countries throughout the world, ing campaigns – these were just a few of the events stressed that torture is an affront to human dignity undertaken in 2007 and highlighted in this report. and that the rehabilitation of torture survivors is Brita Sydhoff Event organisers once again were aided in their ef- not an act of charity, but an inalienable right. IRCT Secretary-General • 26 June 2007 Together against Torture • Campaign material 2007 Read out by human rights defenders across the Renewing Lives world on 26 June 2007 these words concluded a Photo exhibition and book statement signed by the United Nations Special - Collaborating closely with IRCT member centres Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak, IRCT Presi - the IRCT Secretariat co-ordinated the production - dent Abdel Hamid Afana and IRCT Secretary-Gen of a photo exhibition entitled “Renewing Lives”, il eral Brita Sydhoff. lustrating the effects of torture on its victims and showing the positive results of rehabilitation and empowerment of survivors. Photos and captions were contributed by the African Centre for Treatment- and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (Uganda), Ban gladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (Bangladesh), Centro de Prevención, Tratamiento y Global Reading Rehabilitación de las Víctimas de la Tortura y sus Familiares (Honduras), Equipo Argentino de Trabajo- Global Reading e Investigación Psicosocial (Argentina), and the In • Outright torture, directly or by proxy to freedom from torture – so that we may one day reach our Further strengthening the 2007 campaign, three - • Detainees being transferred to secret prisons common goal: a world without torture. dependent Medico Legal Unit (Kenya). by clandestine flights As in previous years, organisations had access new campaign tools were introduced, each focus • multi-year detention without trial th anniversary of the UN Convention • and full-fledged disappearances though the IRCT website to a range of campaign Ladies and gentlemen, fight torture and fulfil survivors’ rights. Devised to protect ing on the 20 Phenomena as - sociated with I am proud to have the opportunity to women, children and men in every country across the globe history’s most re - pugnant and brutal address you today on the occasion of from torture and other forms of ill-treatment, it expresses tools, including a campaign kit, an idea catalogue, against Torture: regimes, but re - cently employed, the UN International Day in Support of and consolidates the will of the international community: Global Reading directly or with complicity, by Victims of Torture.