United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
DRAFT
EU support for rooting out torture
On the occasion of the UN International Day in Support of Victims
of Torture, the European Commission and the International Rehabilitation
Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) are holding a background briefing
for the press to mark the launch of IRCT's project on the Implementation
of the Istanbul Protocol.
In 1997, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed
26th June as the UN International Day in Support of Victims of
Torture. This year, the IRCT is coordinating its 6th global campaign
to commemorate this important day. The global campaign 'Together
Against Torture' is funded by the European Commission and involves
this year direct participation of more than 300 organisations
in 96 countries. The EU has a long history of funding projects
to prevent torture and support the rehabilitation of torture victims
through the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights
(Chapter B7-7 of the EU budget) and held a Call for Proposals
for €25 million in 2002 to allocate funds for projects worldwide.
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
is an independent, international health professional organisation,
which promotes and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims
and works for the prevention of torture worldwide. Based in Denmark,
the IRCT supports and collaborates with a global network of rehabilitation
centres and programmes, represented in every region of the world.
To mark the UN day, IRCT is launching its project on the implementation
of the Istanbul Protocol. The Protocol is a manual on the Effective
Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman
or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The EU is providing €991,413
for the two-year IRCT project which will promote the implementation
of the Istanbul Protocol in five countries: Morocco, Mexico, Georgia,
Sri Lanka and Uganda. IRCT partners for this project are the World
Medical Association, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, and
Physicians for Human Rights-USA.
EU support for the project reflects the importance attached to
the Istanbul Protocol within the EU's strategy to fight torture
across the world : in the Guidelines to EU policy towards third
countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment, adopted by the General Affairs Council in April
2001, the EU pledges to urge third countries to take a wide range
of measures to combat torture, including conducting prompt, impartial
and effective investigations of allegations of torture and operating
effective domestic procedures for responding to reports of torture
in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol.
Participants :
| Mme Smadja |
Director Multilateral Relations and Human Rights,
DG External Relations, European Commission |
| Dr Jens Modvig |
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture
Victims |
 Invitation
to the Press
|
