26 June Statement On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 26 June, the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) calls on all governments to make public commitments to increase their efforts to reduce the risks of torture and ill-treatment in all places where persons are deprived of their liberty.
“Some persons in detention, such as migrants, political opposition, children, women, LGBTI and the impoverished are particularly vulnerable to ill-treatment and torture. States are responsible that they be treated humanely and with full respect of their legal rights,” said the Secretary General of the APT, Mark Thomson.
“Solutions to better prevent torture exist” added the Chief of Operations, Barbara Bernath, “the policy test lies with States to change detention practices and regulations in conformity with international human rights law. If they need partners they exist as well.“
At this time the APT is active around the world in strengthening national capacities, including National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in Africa (in cooperation with the NANHRI network) and the Asia-Pacific (in cooperation with the APF network), as well as the launching of a prevention guide for NHRIs. The APT is also participating in the second cooperation meeting of a novel network of National Preventive Mechanisms in South East Europe in Macedonia. In Panama the APT Regional Office for Latin America are organizing a public event with a local anti-torture popular theatre and dance group. In Spain the APT will be training the Catalonia agency for torture prevention. In Mongolia the APT, UN Country Team and the Amnesty International national section have just completed a successful seminar on follow-up to the recommendations of the UN Committee against Torture. In Strasbourg the APT is working with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to promote a guide for Parliamentarians (written by the APT) to visit and monitor Migrant centres of detention. In Vienna the APT will be making a presentation at the international conference on the 20th Anniversary of the World Conference on Human Rights.
For further related reading please see:
• UN OHCHR News Release
• Redress
• APT Spanish website for Latin America specific announcements
