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Friday, September 30, 2011
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APT urges European Union to uphold the prevention of torture The European Union is currently going through a defining process on its human rights policy, both within the EU as well as externally. Under examination are the EU’s actions against torture, namely through the ongoing revision of the EU guidelines on torture and the creation of human rights country strategies. "It is thus a timely occasion for the EU to show coherence in its commitment to prevent torture, not only outside the EU, but also within its own borders", said APT Secretary General Mark Thomson.
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Making better use of EU Guidelines to combat torture The EU’s Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) agreed in May 2011 to a revision of the "Guidelines to European Union policy towards third countries on torture, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment". COHOM’s announcement constitutes a natural and welcome development since the latest revision dated back to 2007. The EU guidelines on torture currently constitute one of the main resources for the EU to support the fight against torture globally.
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Morocco to ratify UN torture prevention agreement The Kingdom of Morocco is expected to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) in the near future. The Council of Ministers, chaired by King Mohammed VI, approved OPCAT ratification on 9th of September 2011, following a Council of Government approval on 26 of May. The APT congratulates the authorities of Morocco for this important commitment to the protection of all persons, including persons deprived of liberty.
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African NHRIs United Against Torture 'An African continent united against torture' was the leitmotif of the high level conference on the role of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in the prevention of torture in Africa, which took place in Rabat on 7-8 September 2011. The conference was part of a larger strategy that the APT and the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) decided to undertake together by committing themselves to a three year partnership agreement concluded in October 2010, upon the initiative of the current President of the NANHRI, the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) of Morocco.
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Rio de Janeiro: Monitoring Methodology From 08 - 11 August the APT held the 'International Workshop on Monitoring Places of Deprivation of Liberty' in partnership with the Secretariat of Social Welfare and Human Rights of the State of Rio de Janeiro and with the Public Defender's office of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The workshop addressed members of two recently established bodies to prevent and combat torture in the State (see law 5.778), the State Mechanism and State Committee to Prevent and Combat Torture, and aimed at training on a holistic approach of preventive monitoring through the application of a systematic methodology of visits to centres of deprivation of liberty.
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Maldives: First national dialogue amongst torture prevention actors Since the recent transition to democracy, the Maldives have taken a clear stance on preventing torture and ill-treatment in prisons and other places of detention. For instance, the Maldives ratified the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture in February 2006, an international treaty which aims at protecting people who are held in detention against torture and other ill-treatment. Following their ratification, the Maldives agreed to set up an independent body, the National Preventive Mechanism, to regularly visit prisons, police detention centres, drug rehabilitation centres and other places of detention.
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Featured

  • Election of members to the Committee Against Torture

    APT would like to make States aware of the forthcoming election, to be held on 18 October in Geneva, among State Parties to the Convention Against Torture, to fill five seats of the CAT Committee which become vacant by the end of 2011. Pursuant to the Convention, State Parties will be invited to vote for the five candidates who best demonstrate expertise in the field of human rights, giving due...
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In the News

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'Wrong and never justified'

Former MI5 head: Torture is 'wrong and never justified'

The use of torture is "wrong and never justified", the former head of the security service MI5 has insisted.

Eliza Manningham-Buller said it should be "utterly rejected even when it may offer the prospect of saving lives".

Giving the second of her BBC Radio Reith lectures, she acknowledged recent disclosures about alleged British intelligence operations in Libya would "raise widespread concerns".

"No-one could justify what went on under Gaddafi's regime," she added.

Conférence africaine

Conférence africaine sur la prévention de la torture en Afrique les 7 et 8 septembre à Rabat

Cette conférence, organisée avec l'appui de l'ambassade du Royaume-Uni au Maroc, de l'association pour la Prévention de la Torture (APT) et de la délégation interministérielle aux droits de l'Homme, s'inscrit dans le cadre de la convention de partenariat conclue entre le Réseau des Institutions nationales africaines des droits de l'Homme (RINADH), présidé actuellement par le Maroc et l'APT, précise un communiqué du CNDH.

Libya rendition claims

Libya rendition claims: David Cameron calls for inquiry
Allegations that MI6 was involved in the rendition of Libyan terror suspects should be examined by an independent inquiry, David Cameron has said.
It comes after papers suggesting close ties between MI6, the CIA and the Gaddafi regime were found in Tripoli.
An anti-Gaddafi military leader says he wants the UK and US to apologise for organising his 2004 transfer to Libya.
An existing inquiry into allegations of UK security agencies' involvement in torture has said it will investigate.

Libya rendition claims: David Cameron calls for inquiry

Allegations that MI6 was involved in the rendition of Libyan terror suspects should be examined by an independent inquiry, David Cameron has said.

It comes after papers suggesting close ties between MI6, the CIA and the Gaddafi regime were found in Tripoli.

An anti-Gaddafi military leader says he wants the UK and US to apologise for organising his 2004 transfer to Libya.

An existing inquiry into allegations of UK security agencies' involvement in torture has said it will investigate.

 

CoE demands truth

Council of Europe demands truth on CIA 'black sites'

The human rights commissioner for the Council of Europe urged countries that have hosted secret CIA prisons to come clean Monday, as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches.

Thomas Hammarberg said Poland, Romania and Lithuania were among at least seven countries that hosted "black sites" for "enhanced interrogation" during the "war on terror."

"Darkness still enshrouds those who authorized and ran the black sites on European territories," he said.

Chile to probe death

Chile to probe Gen Bachelet's death under Pinochet

A judge in Chile has agreed to investigate the death in prison of Gen Alberto Bachelet during the rule of Gen August Pinochet in the 1970s.

Judge Mario Carroza will review a complaint brought by relatives of the victims of military rule alleging that Gen Bachelet was tortured to death.

Gen Bachelet was loyal to President Salvador Allende, deposed in a 1973 military coup led by Gen Pinochet.

Gen Bachelet's daughter Michelle became Chile's first female president in 2006.

China to amend law

China to amend law to prevent forced confessions

China's top legislature will revise the Criminal Procedure Law to prevent judges from accepting confessions from tortured suspects and giving these suspects more defense options in a bid to ensure justice while protecting defendants' human rights.

A draft amendment submitted Wednesday to the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee states that "evidence and confessions collected through torture, violence and threats should not be accepted."

Zimbabwe torture camp

Zimbabwe torture camp discovered

A torture camp run by Zimbabwe's security forces is operating in the country's rich Marange diamond fields, BBC Panorama has found.

The programme heard from recent victims who told of severe beatings and sexual assault.

The claims come as the European Union pushes to let some banned diamonds from the country led by President Robert Mugabe back onto world markets.

The Zimbabwean government has not responded to the BBC's findings.

Systematic torture in Burma

Systematic torture in Burma as EU seeks closer ties

Burmese dissidents say authorities are routinely torturing political prisioners at a time when EU diplomats and companies are exploring ways to build closer relations with the regime.

Bo Kyi, who now lives in neighbouring Thailand and who runs an NGO called Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in Burma, told EUobserver that people fleeing the country continue to tell stories of atrocities in the country's detention centres.

Abu Ghraib ringleader freed

Ringleader of Abu Ghraib abuse, Charles Graner, is freed

THE convicted ringleader of the US abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib jail in Iraq has been released from a US military prison.

Charles Graner, 42, was released yesterday from the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, after serving 6 1/2 years of his 10-year sentence. He will be under the supervision of a probation officer until December 25, 2014.

The US army would not release any information about Graner's whereabouts or his destination after he was released.

UK's secret policy on torture

UK's secret policy on torture revealed

A top-secret document revealing how MI6 and MI5 officers were allowed to extract information from prisoners being illegally tortured overseas has been seen by the Guardian.

The interrogation policy – details of which are believed to be too sensitive to be publicly released at the government inquiry into the UK's role in torture and rendition – instructed senior intelligence officers to weigh the importance of the information being sought against the amount of pain they expected a prisoner to suffer.
  • Highlights
  • APT in the Regions
  • Torture Law Compilation

Guide de jurisprudenceNew Publications

The APT has just published the French version of the Jurisprudence Guide,
La Torture en Droit International: Guide de jurisprudence
PDF Download - All Language Versions


Also newly available are the Proceedings from the Regional Conference: The Prevention of Torture in Africa, which took place in Dakar, Senegal in 2010. Available in English & French.

OPCAT Database

OPCAT Database

The OPCAT Database on ratification and implementation of the OPCAT, including the functioning of National Preventive Mechanisms. The OPCAT Database is a unique on-line tool which offers information on the ratification and implementation of the OPCAT in all States Parties and Signatories. Information is also available on States which are considering acceding to the OPCAT. The database is available at www.apt.ch/opcat

OPCAT Implementation Manual

OPCAT Implementation Manual

Available in Bulgarian, English, Portuguese, Spanish & Thai

The new OPCAT Implementation Manual addresses all the questions on implementation of this innovative international human rights treaty. Drawing on initial good practice from all world regions, the manual is designed to serve as a practical reference tool for international, regional and national stakeholders involved in OPCAT ratification and implementation.
Read More... PDF Download

Africa

Americas

Asia Pacific

Timor

Europe & Central Asia

Middle East & North Africa

  • Compilation of Torture Laws

    This tool is a compilation of existing national laws relevant to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT). It focuses on the criminalisation of torture under national laws of States parties to the UNCAT as well as other relevant provisions.

    Accessing the country files:

    All files of the States parties to the UNCAT are in pdf format and may be accessed from the drop-down list below. You may easily navigate in the country files by clicking on the bookmark that will direct you to the relevant section of the document.



    Content of the country files:

    The country files are composed of:

    •    A fact sheet providing an overview of the laws and
    •    Relevant provisions of the laws in the original language version as well as an English translation, if available.

    The country files are not meant to evaluate the compliance of these laws with the UNCAT, nor their effectiveness in practice.

    The APT would like to thank all those who have contributed to the development of this tool, including by providing laws in the original language version and/or translations.

    While doing its utmost to update the information contained herein, the APT does not guarantee that this data constitutes the latest applicable laws and/or that it represents the entire national legal framework related to torture. The APT therefore welcomes any contribution or comment to this ongoing public service. Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

    Disclaimer/Non-liability clause:
    The material provided herein, including the translations and the laws in the original language version, is designed for information purposes only and may contain errors. The contents and use of this material, including links, do not imply any responsibility from the part of the APT.


APT Global Forum on the OPCAT

OPCAT Global Forum

Five years after the entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, the APT is holding an initial evaluation of the system of prevention. A Global Forum on the OPCAT "Preventing Torture, Upholding Dignity: from Pledges to Actions" will take place on 10 and 11 November 2011 in Geneva.
English - Español - Français

External Evaluator

The APT seeks an External Evaluator for the evaluation of a 3 year project. Full Details
Closing Date: 12 October 2011

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