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 :

Invitation to the Press