ODVV International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Statement

Numerous international documents have banned any form of torture that includes physical, mental and sexual, such as Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 3 of the European Commission in Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and UN General Assembly Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1975).
Also torture ban has become so important that it was the theme of an independent convention called the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984). According to this Convention Member States are responsible to prevent torture within all their jurisdiction and no exemptions not even conflict, unrest or any emergency situation can justify acts of torture.
Nonetheless and in spite of the extent of international commitments, we continually witness various forms of torture taking place across the world.
According to the latest report of the UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur against Torture the United States of America continues to apply various types of torture in the Guantanamo Detention Centre and some prisons in the States of Ohio Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arkansas, and continues to refrain from commitment to the Convention against Torture and cooperation with the Special Rapporteur and response to cases of concern of this working agenda.
Also according to Amnesty International reports, the United Arab Emirates continues to use torture in secret prisons in Yemen.
According to the Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, human rights defenders continue to be subjected to torture and abuse in Saudi Arabia prisons. Forced confessions, culture of government officials’ impunity who commit torture and other forms of mistreatment of prisoners is common practice in the country. Between 2009 and 2015 more than 3000 torture accusations in Saudi Arabia have officially been registered.
Approximately 5000 Palestinians are incarcerated in Israeli prisons and while denied of their minimum human rights, they are subjected to various types of torture and abuse.
On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, while drawing the relevant international mechanisms’ – particularly the Special Rapporteur against Torture – attention towards some countries failure to remain committed to their international obligations towards prevention of torture, the ODVV calls upon the international community and relevant international mechanisms, to utilise all their executive and complementing capacities and force violating States to remain committed to their international obligations in the fight against torture.