International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Encyclopedia
The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture – 26 June is held annually on 26 June to speak out against the crime of torture
and to honour and support victims and survivors throughout the world.
for two reasons. First, on 26 June 1945, the United Nations Charter
was signed – the first international instrument obliging UN members to respect and promote human rights. Second, 26 June 1987 was when the United Nations Convention Against Torture
came into effect.
The decision to annually observe the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was taken by the UN General Assembly at the proposal of Denmark, which is home to the world-renowned International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
.
The first 26 June events were launched in 1998. Since then, dozens of organisations in dozens of countries mark the day each year with events, celebrations and campaigns.
On 16 July 2009, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was chosen as a public holiday in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
monitors the campaign plans of organisations around the world and towards the end of the year publishes the 26 June Global Report where it describes the events held in commemoration of the day.
According to the latest 26 June Global Report (2010), at least 38 countries around the world commemorated the day with conferences, workshops, peaceful rallies, cultural and musical events, events for children, etc.
List of organisations reported to have held events to commemorate the day in 2010:
Albania: Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and Torture (ARCT)
Argentina: Argentine Team of Psychosocial Work and Research (EATIP)
Armenia: Foundation Against Violation of Law
Australia: Association of Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASeTTS) in partnership with Curtin University of Technology
’s Centre for Human Rights Education (CHRE) and Amnesty International
Bangladesh: Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors (CRTS)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Association Vive Žene
Brazil: Grupo Tortura Nunca Mais – Rio de Janeiro
Cameroon: Centre for Rehabilitation and Abolition of Torture (CRAT)
Canada: Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT)
Chad: Youth for Peace and Nonviolence Association (AJPNV)
Independent State of Croatia: Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) Zagreb
Cyprus: Unit of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (URVT)
Denmark: Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Regroupement des Mamans de Kamituga (REMAK)
Ecuador: Foundation for Integral Rehabilitation of Violence Victims (PRIVA)
Georgia (country): EMPATHY, The international Psycho-Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture, Violence and Pronounced Stress Impact
Germany: Berlin Centre for the Treatment of Torture Victims (bzfo) and Medical Care Service for Refugees Bochum (MFH)
Hungary: Cordelia Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims
India: Centre for Care of Torture Victims (CCTV), Rural Uplift Centre (RUC) and Society for Social Research, Art and Culture (SOSRAC)
Indonesia: Alliance of Democracy for Papua (ALDP) and Rehabilitation Action for Torture Victims in Aceh (RATA)
Iraq: Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)
Italy: Hospitality and Care for Victims of Torture, Italian Council for Refugees (CIR-VI.TO.)
Kenya: Mwatikho Torture Survivors Organization (MATESO)
Republic of Kosovo: Kosovo Rehabilitation centre for Torture Victims (KRCT)
Lebanon: Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC) and Restart Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture
Mexico: Colectivo Contra la Tortura y la Impunidad (CCTI)
Moldova: Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims – “Memoria”
Morocco: Medical Association for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (AMRVT)
Nepal: Centre for Victims of Torture Nepal (CVICT)
New Zealand: Refugees As Survivors New Zealand (RASNZ)
': Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP), Jesoor for Trauma Recovery and Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)
Senegal: VIVRE/CAPREC – Rehabilitating Victims of Violence
Serbia: Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (IAN CRTV)
Sierra Leone: Community Association for Psychosocial Services (CAPS)
South Africa: The Trauma Centre For Survivors Of Violence and Torture (TCSVT)
Sri Lanka: Survivors Associated (SA)
Turkey: Centre of Social Action, Rehabilitation and Readjustment for the victims of torture (SOHRAM-CASRA) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) – Adana, Ankara, Diyarbakir, Istanbul and Izmir
United Kingdom: Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture and Refugee Therapy Centre (RTC)
Serbia: Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (IAN CRTV)
United States: Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (ASTT), Survivors International (SI)
In Asia the Asian Human Rights Commission
holds regional events every year. Anti Torture networks in various Asian countries that still suffer from the widespread use of torture are holding rallies and public events.
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
and to honour and support victims and survivors throughout the world.
History
The day was selected by the United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
for two reasons. First, on 26 June 1945, the United Nations Charter
United Nations Charter
The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the international organization called the United Nations. It was signed at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, United States, on 26 June 1945, by 50 of the 51 original member countries...
was signed – the first international instrument obliging UN members to respect and promote human rights. Second, 26 June 1987 was when the United Nations Convention Against Torture
United Nations Convention Against Torture
The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is an international human rights instrument, under the review of the United Nations, that aims to prevent torture around the world....
came into effect.
The decision to annually observe the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was taken by the UN General Assembly at the proposal of Denmark, which is home to the world-renowned International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims , is an independent, international health professional organisation that promotes and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims and works for the prevention of torture worldwide....
.
The first 26 June events were launched in 1998. Since then, dozens of organisations in dozens of countries mark the day each year with events, celebrations and campaigns.
On 16 July 2009, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was chosen as a public holiday in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Global Campaign
Every year the IRCTInternational Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims , is an independent, international health professional organisation that promotes and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims and works for the prevention of torture worldwide....
monitors the campaign plans of organisations around the world and towards the end of the year publishes the 26 June Global Report where it describes the events held in commemoration of the day.
According to the latest 26 June Global Report (2010), at least 38 countries around the world commemorated the day with conferences, workshops, peaceful rallies, cultural and musical events, events for children, etc.
List of organisations reported to have held events to commemorate the day in 2010:
Albania: Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and Torture (ARCT) Argentina: Argentine Team of Psychosocial Work and Research (EATIP) Armenia: Foundation Against Violation of Law Australia: Association of Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASeTTS) in partnership with Curtin University of TechnologyCurtin University of Technology
Curtin University is an Australian university based in Perth, Western Australia, with additional campuses in regional Western Australia and at Miri , Sydney and Singapore...
’s Centre for Human Rights Education (CHRE) and Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
Bangladesh: Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors (CRTS) Bosnia and Herzegovina: Association Vive Žene Brazil: Grupo Tortura Nunca Mais – Rio de Janeiro Cameroon: Centre for Rehabilitation and Abolition of Torture (CRAT) Canada: Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT) Chad: Youth for Peace and Nonviolence Association (AJPNV) Independent State of Croatia: Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) Zagreb Cyprus: Unit of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (URVT)Unit of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture
The Unit of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture has operated in Cyprus since 2005.The funding for the establishment of the URVT came originally from the European Council decision to establish the European Refugee Fund II for 2005–2010...
Denmark: Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) Democratic Republic of the Congo: Regroupement des Mamans de Kamituga (REMAK) Ecuador: Foundation for Integral Rehabilitation of Violence Victims (PRIVA) Georgia (country): EMPATHY, The international Psycho-Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture, Violence and Pronounced Stress Impact Germany: Berlin Centre for the Treatment of Torture Victims (bzfo) and Medical Care Service for Refugees Bochum (MFH) Hungary: Cordelia Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims India: Centre for Care of Torture Victims (CCTV), Rural Uplift Centre (RUC) and Society for Social Research, Art and Culture (SOSRAC) Indonesia: Alliance of Democracy for Papua (ALDP) and Rehabilitation Action for Torture Victims in Aceh (RATA) Iraq: Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC) Italy: Hospitality and Care for Victims of Torture, Italian Council for Refugees (CIR-VI.TO.) Kenya: Mwatikho Torture Survivors Organization (MATESO) Republic of Kosovo: Kosovo Rehabilitation centre for Torture Victims (KRCT) Lebanon: Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC) and Restart Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture Mexico: Colectivo Contra la Tortura y la Impunidad (CCTI) Moldova: Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims – “Memoria” Morocco: Medical Association for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (AMRVT) Nepal: Centre for Victims of Torture Nepal (CVICT) New Zealand: Refugees As Survivors New Zealand (RASNZ) ': Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP), Jesoor for Trauma Recovery and Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)
Senegal: VIVRE/CAPREC – Rehabilitating Victims of Violence Serbia: Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (IAN CRTV) Sierra Leone: Community Association for Psychosocial Services (CAPS) South Africa: The Trauma Centre For Survivors Of Violence and Torture (TCSVT) Sri Lanka: Survivors Associated (SA) Turkey: Centre of Social Action, Rehabilitation and Readjustment for the victims of torture (SOHRAM-CASRA) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) – Adana, Ankara, Diyarbakir, Istanbul and Izmir United Kingdom: Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture and Refugee Therapy Centre (RTC) Serbia: Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (IAN CRTV) United States: Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (ASTT), Survivors International (SI) In Asia the Asian Human Rights Commission
Asian Human Rights Commission
The Asian Human Rights Commission is an independent, non-governmental body, which seeks to promote greater awareness and realisation of human rights in the Asian region, and to mobilise Asian and international public opinion to obtain relief and redress for the victims of human rights violations...
holds regional events every year. Anti Torture networks in various Asian countries that still suffer from the widespread use of torture are holding rallies and public events.
External links
- Official Website of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture – 26 June at the United Nations
- 26 June – UN day against torture at the IRCTInternational Rehabilitation Council for Torture VictimsThe International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims , is an independent, international health professional organisation that promotes and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims and works for the prevention of torture worldwide....
- http://www.communitytv.hk/AHRClive live stream of 2009's torture day commemoration in Asia/Hong Kong (26 June 2009 12 am HKT Time, 4am GMT)
- Tibetan exiles ask China to “Stop Torture in Tibet”