Torture

Torture in any form and for any reason has been banned by international law, but torture is still practiced on more than a million men, women and children each year around the world. The mental health consequence of this practice is immeasurable.

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Definition and basic terminology Guidelines and manuals Human rights framework History, methods and effects of torture Human rights bodies Reparation, redress and general issues Approaching therapeutic aspects Organisations and sites

Definition and basic terminology

Torture is according the United Nations Convention Against Torture: “…any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act her ..."

Definition of torture

APT

The legal definition of torture in human rights law differs quite significantly from the way the term is commonly used in the media or in general conversation.

The Psychology of Torture

2017Stanford University

This represents a great overview helping to understand the psychology of torture, with explanations, aspects on effects and recovery

An overview of torture

2018,ScienceDirect

Detainees may be subjected to torture and extra-judicial execution by State actors and terrorists. But, the pathology of torture has not been well-described. This is due to the lack of autopsies performed on victims of torture, mostly due to the disp...

Expanding the Definition of Torture

2003Human Rights Dialogue

Historically, the popular understanding of torture has helped to maintain a gender-biased image of the torture victim: it is the male who pervades the political and public sphere and thus it is the male who is likely to be targeted by state violence ...

Human Rights: Focus on Torture

2003Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rrehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT)

Public survey in Tiblisi, Georgia. Primary purpose of the survey was to explore the issue of torture - its incidence, public awareness of, attitudes to, and opinions regarding the surrounding topics and actors.

Preventing Torture

2010National Human Rights Institutions OHCHR, APT and APF

An Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions OHCHR, APT and APF (2010) This handbook deals with the mandate and functioning of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the standards it has developed concerning the...

Reparation

2003REDRESS

A sourcebook for victims of torture and other violations of human rights and international and international humanitarian law.

Torture

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

This entry is in four parts. The first part addresses the question what is torture?; the second part, what is wrong with torture?; the third part, is torture ever morally justifiable?; and the last part, should torture ever be legalised or otherwise ...

Torture in children

Jose Quiroga, IRCT

Torture in children happens during peace times and during political violence and war conflicts. The majority of torture victims happen during peace times. The high-risk groups are impoverished children living in the street, children deprived of paren...

The right to Redress

Committee against torture

Article 14 provides that States Parties should ensure a victim of torture with an effective remedy and that there is an enforceable right to compensation and rehabilitation. The Committee against torture has in this third general comment explained a...

What is reparation?

Redress

REDRESS (2012) is a human rights organisation that helps torture survivors obtain justice and reparation. This article gives more information about what reparation means for the survivor.

 

Guidelines and manuals

During the past two decades, much has been learned about torture and its consequences, but no international guidelines for documentation were available prior to the development of Istanbul Protocol. They represent minimum standards based on the principles.

Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documenta...

2000UN

The purposes of effective investigation and documentation of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (hereinafter “torture or other ill-treatment”) include the following: (a) Clarification of the facts and es...

Istanbul Protocol

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Guidelines for the examination of survivors of torture

2011Medical Foundation for the Care of Victimes of Torture, Duncan Forrest, Françoise Hutton,

This booklet contains guidelines for writing medical legal reports. The advice contained in this book concerns the provision of medical evidence to help substantiate (or evaluate) claims of ill-treatment and torture.

Torture survivors: What to ask, how to document

2012Miles and Garcia-Peltoniemi,

Your involvement in recording histories and exam findings and in referring patients for specialized care can restore lives. It can also aid in reversing the “invisibility” of torture survivors that perpetuates inadequate clinical education, research,...

Working with the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Tortu...

IRCT

A practical guide that aims at providing torture rehabilitation centres and other NGOs involved in anti-torture activities with easily accessible and practical advice on how to most effectively engage with and contribute to country visits by the Unit...

Working with the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Tortu...

IRCT

This practical guide aims at providing torture rehabilitation centres and other NGOs involved in anti-torture activities with easily accessible and practical advice on how to most effectively engage with and contributeto country visits by the United ...

The Torture Reporting Handbook

Human Rights Centre, University of Essex.

A reference guide for anyone who wishes to know how to take action in response to allegations of torture or ill-treatment. It explains simply and clearly how the process of reporting and submitting complaints to international bodies and mechanisms a...

Medical Investigation and Documentation of Torture

2005Human Rights Centre, University of Essex. M. Peel, N. Lubell, J Beynon.

A practical guide that aims at providing torture rehabilitation centres and other NGOs involved in anti-torture activities with easily accessible and practi cal advice on how to most effectively engage with and contribute to country visits by the Un...

Preventing Torture

2010National Human Rights Institutions OHCHR, APT and APF

An Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions OHCHR, APT and APF (2010) This handbook deals with the mandate and functioning of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the standards it has developed concerning the...

Forensic examination missions by medical teams investig...

IRCT

A practical operational manual that aims at providing torture rehabilitation centres and other NGOs involved in anti-torture activities with easily accessible and practical advice on how to most effectively engage with and contribute to country visit...

Shedding light on a dark practice

2009IRCT

This book is primarily intended for health and legal professionals who work with or are likely to come into contact with torture survivors, but anyone with an interest in the question of torture will find useful insights. These short articles provid...

Medical, physical examination in connection with tortur...

2004 IRCT Ole V. Rasmussen

The 4 links focuses on the medical, physical examination in connection with torture and other related human rights violations. The major content theme is divided into different organ systems that will be described with regard to the acute and somatic...

The medical aspects of the UN Convention against Tortur...

2006IRCT, Ole V. Rasmussen

The medical work against torture began in 197411. The work took place in internationaland national NGO’s. In the beginning it concentrated on documenting torture. Medical examination of torture victims added evidence to reports on torture. The only w...

Ethics Abandoned: Medical Professionalism and Detainee ...

2013Institute on Medicine as a Profession

The report is based on two years of review of records in the public domain by a 19-member task force. The report details how DoD and CIA policies institutionalized a variety of interventions by military and intelligence agency doctors and psychologis...

Alternative report on torture and ill-treatment of pris...

PRIVA

This thematic report aims to provide an analysis of the current practices of torture and ill-treatment in Ecuador as they are experienced by PRIVA in our work with rehabilitation of torture victims. From the statistics and cases in this report, it is...

Challenging Impunity for Torture

2000REDRESS

A Manual for bringing criminal and civil proceedings in England and Wales for torture committed abroad.

 

Human rights framework

Torture in any form and for any reason has been banned by international law, but it is still practiced on a million people each year around the world. Survivors of torture are found everywhere. Victims of torture and their families need rehabilitation to re-establish control over their lives.

UN’s Universal declaration of human rights – article 5 ...

1948 UN

Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture, or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. There is one absolute prohibition in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that is universally accepted as unequivocal: Article 5’s...

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 8)

UN

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or ...

United Nations High ommissioner for Human Rights

Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by UN General Assembly resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984.

Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remed...

2005UN

Recalling the adoption of the Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law by the Commission on Huma...

The Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture...

2003UN

The objective of this Protocol is to establish a system of regular visits undertaken by independent international and national bodies to places where people are deprived of their liberty, in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrad...

Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture ...

APT, IIHR

The new manual aims to support and strengthen the work of international, regional and national actors involved in OPCAT ratification and implementation. It provides concrete examples of good practice drawn from around the world.

Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention agai...

2010Inter-American Institute for Human Rights (IIHR) Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT)

The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture adopted in December 2002, provides a novel and realistic approach to preventing this unacceptable human rights violation and crime against humanity. For the Inter-American Institute of Human ...

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

1966UN

The Covenant is a multilateral treaty, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966, entry into force in 1976. It represents a part of the International Bill of Human Rights. The Covenant is monitored by the Human Rights Committee.

United Nations Fact Sheet No. 4 – Methods of Combating ...

1984UN

The United Nations have edited a series of quite useful Fact Sheets. This one targeting combating torture covers lists of pertinent international instruments, treaty monitoring bodies, special rapporteurs, as well as mentions the UN voluntary fond fo...

The European Convention on Human Rights

1950UN

This convention was drafted in 1950, entry into force in 1953. It established the European Court of Human Rights. This international treaty, ratified by all Council of Europe member states, is to protect human rights and fundamental freedom in Europe...

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

The Convention provides non-judicial preventive machinery to protect detainees. It is based on a system of visits by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The Secretariat of the C...

European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights ...

1994European Court of Human Rights

Everyone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in this Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before a national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity.

American Convention on Human Rights (Article 25)

1969Inter American Commission on Human Rights

Right to Judicial Protection 1. Everyone has the right to simple and prompt recourse, or any other effective recourse, to a competent court or tribunal for protection against acts that violate his fundamental rights recognized by the constitution or ...

1. African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights “Banjul...

1986African States members of the Organization of African

Article 7 Every individual shall have the right to have his cause heard. This comprises: a) the right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts of violating his fundamental rights as recognized and guaranteed by conventions, laws, regula...

Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Artic...

UN

Protection of the victims and witnesses and their participation in the proceedings 1. The Court shall take appropriate measures to protect the safety, physical and psychological well-being, dignity and privacy of victims and witnesses. In so doing, t...

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Organization of American States (middle and south), on this website there are lots of links to rapports on human rights in general. No special focus on torture. – IACHR.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights

This Court is located in Costa Rica, an autonomous judicial institution of the Organization of American States, established in 1979.

African Commission on Human and People’s rights

This commission was established in 1987 by the African Charter on Human and Peoples`Rights, adopted in 1981 by the Organization of African Unity OAU. The commissions’ task is to ensure the “promotion and protection of Human and Peoples`Rights through...

Asian Human Rights Commission

This Commission targets to protect and promote human rights (by monitoring, investigation, advocacy, taking solidarity actions). In addition to more general information on the topic of human rights, we find also very solid and informative collection ...

Australian Human Rights Commission

Established in 1986, an independent statutory organization, reporting to the Australian federal parliament. Targeting the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia. No special focus on torture.

 

History, methods and effects of torture

“The history of torture teaches us two lessons: first, that our inventive capacity for inflicting pain and terror on our fellow human is shockingly expansive. Second, that the only thing we learn from history is that we do not learn from history: similar patterns of violence and humiliation ..."

A history of torture

2013Clive Stafford Smith

The history of torture teaches us two lessons: first, that our inventive capacity for inflicting pain and terror on our fellow human is shockingly expansive. Second, that the only thing we learn from history is that we do not learn from history: simi...

Stanford Prison Experiment

2018Professor Philip G. Zimbardo

What happens when you put good people in an evil place? Does humanity win over evil, or does evil triumph? These are some of the questions we posed in this dramatic simulation of prison life conducted in 1971 at Stanford university.

The Politics of Torture: Dispelling the Myths and Under...

Joan Simalchik, CCVT

Understanding the modem use of torture entails the dispelling of myths about its nature and purpose. There remains a perception that torture is practiced randomly, that it is punishment carried to an extreme, that it is performed by psychopaths or sa...

After-Effects of Torture

2015CVT

Beatings and psychological torture are the most common forms reported to the Center for Victims of Torture™ (CVT). CVT clinicians have documented more sophisticated forms of torture over the years, especially methods of psychological torture, that do...

Torture has a long history……of not working

2007LiveScience, Heather Whipps

From the dingy dungeons of the Dark Ages to today’s shadowy holding facilities, the use of torture as an interrogation tactic has evolved little and possibly yielded even less, in terms of intelligence.

BREAK THEM DOWN – Systematic Use of Psychological Tortu...

2015Physicians for Human Rights

This report is the first to comprehensively examine the use of psychological torture by US personnel in the so- called “war on terror.”1 It reviews the techniques used on detainees, what clinical experience and studies reveal about the long-lasting a...

 

Human rights bodies

There are to distinguish two different kinds of bodies in general: some UN Charter-based bodies (these including the Human Rights Council), and on the other hand the treaty-based bodies. The latter has been created under the international human rights treaties and consists of independent experts.

United Nations Committee against Torture

UN

The Committee against Torture CAT is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the “Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” by its State Parties. – OHCHR.

Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture

2007UN

The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture SPT started its work in 2007. According to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture OPCAT the STP is given the right to visit places of detention and examine the treatment of people held the...

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

1985UN

In the resolution 1985/33 the United Nations Commission of Human Rights decided to appoint an expert, a special rapporteur, to examine questions relevant to torture. This mandate covers all countries, irrespective of whether a State has ratified the ...

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Organization of American States (middle and south), on this website there are lots of links to rapports on human rights in general. No special focus on torture. – IACHR.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights

This Court is located in Costa Rica, an autonomous judicial institution of the Organization of American States, established in 1979.

African Commission on Human and People’s rights

This commission was established in 1987 by the African Charter on Human and Peoples`Rights, adopted in 1981 by the Organization of African Unity OAU. The commissions’ task is to ensure the “promotion and protection of Human and Peoples`Rights through...

Asian Human Rights Commission

This Commission targets to protect and promote human rights (by monitoring, investigation, advocacy, taking solidarity actions). In addition to more general information on the topic of human rights, we find also very solid and informative collection ...

Australian Human Rights Commission

Established in 1986, an independent statutory organization, reporting to the Australian federal parliament. Targeting the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia. No special focus on torture.

European Court of Human Rights

The Court was established in 1959, headquartered in Strasbourg/France. It rules on individual or State application alleging violations of the civil or political rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights (no special focus on torture, w...

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

The Convention provides non-judicial preventive machinery to protect detainees. It is based on a system of visits by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The Secretariat of the C...

 

Reparation, redress and general issues

Survivors of torture are found everywhere. Victims of torture and their families need rehabilitation to make it possible for them to re-establish control over their lives.

Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or ...

United Nations High ommissioner for Human Rights

Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by UN General Assembly resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984.

Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention agai...

2010Inter-American Institute for Human Rights (IIHR) Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT)

The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture adopted in December 2002, provides a novel and realistic approach to preventing this unacceptable human rights violation and crime against humanity. For the Inter-American Institute of Human ...

Torture survivors have the rights to redress and rehabi...

2016 Commissioner for Human Rights – Muižnieks

The thousands of human beings who have already been through the severe pain of torture also face a range of devastating long-term consequences. In particular, survivors of torture frequently experience chronic pain, headaches, insomnia, nightmares, d...

Reparations for Victims of Gross and Systematic Human R...

2003 Robouts and Vandeginste

Through a combined legal and social science analysis, this paper reflects on one of the root concepts of reparation. As reparation occurs in response to victimization, this paper concentrates on the notion of a victim.1 The notion of the victim will ...

Torture survivors’ perceptions of reparation

2001 Redress

This rapport (112 p) presents a solid overview of the survivor`s perceptions of reparation. It comes along with definitions and discusses the problem of the reactions to reparations and the processes which are necessarily involved.

Reaching for Justice – The Right to Reparation in the A...

2013 Redress

This report seeks to examine the procedures as well as the jurisprudence of the African Commission on the right to reparation for victims of gross human rights violations, in light of the evolving international standards and taking into account the p...

The Law and Practice of Rehabilitation in Domestic Admi...

2012Essex Transitional Justice Network

Rehabilitation as a form of reparation for gross violations of international human rights law and serious breaches of international humanitarian law has received sparse attention in literature and in practice, despite its vital and immediate role in ...

Joint Study on Global Practices in Relation to Secret D...

2010 UN

A solid and detailed study (186 p.) on the issue of Secret Detention, which is concluded to be a violation of international human rights law, and may facilitate the perpetration of torture. Detailed status quo concerning Secret Detention in the diffe...

Dealing With the Past: Survivors’ Perspectives on Econo...

2015N. Sveaass and A.M. Sønneland

The right to redress for victims of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide is soundly established as a right under international law, including both the right to an “effective remedy” and to “reparation”. Reparation refers to ways in which...

Gross human rights violations and reparation under inte...

Sveaass Nora

The strengthening of international criminal law through an increased focus on the right to reparation and rehabilitation for victims of crimes against humanity is an important challenge to health professionals, particularly in the field of trauma res...

Reparation

2003REDRESS

A sourcebook for victims of torture and other violations of human rights and international and international humanitarian law.

Barriers to Justice: Implementing Reparations for Sexua...

Physicians for Human Rrights (PHR), Capstone, Colombia SIPA 2013

The final report evaluates reparations awarded by courts in the DRC to survivors of sexual violence, and the extent to which these reparations are being implemented. First, the report introduces the mobile court system and other judicial institutions...

Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remed...

2005UN

Recalling the adoption of the Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law by the Commission on Huma...

Nairobi declaration on women`s and girl`s right to a re...

2007International Federation for Human Rights

Conclusion/declaration as a result of an international meeting on “Women’s and Girls’ Right to a Remedy and Reparation”, held in Nairobi  2007. Participants have been women’s rights advocates and activists, as well as survivors of sexual violence in ...

Rehabilitation as a form of reparation under Internatio...

Clara Sandoval Villalba, Redress

The Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparations for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law (Basic Principles) further clarify this right. The...

Responses to Human Rights Violations: The Implementatio...

REDRESS

Report from the seminar "Responses to Human Rights Violations: The Domestic Implementation of the International Right to Reparation for Torture Victims in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal" - held on 14 September 2002 at the India International Centre, New ...

Legal frameworks to prevent torture in Africa

2016Redress

37 African countries are parties to the Convention and 6 others are signatories. Status of ratification by African countries as of January 2003.

 

Approaching therapeutic aspects

We present a collection of resources more specific in approaching therapeutic aspects. Almost all torture victims suffer of severe consequences. There are lots of physical and psychological damages to take care of, amongst the latter as the most important distress PTSD.

World Organization Against Torture, Second Edition R...

OMCT

OMCT’s Handbook Series consists offour volumes, each one providing a detailed guide to the practice, procedures,and jurisprudence of the regional and international mechanisms that arecompetent to examine individual complaints concerning the violation...

DIGNITY Field Manual on Rehabilitation 2nd version

2013DIGNITY/RCT Uwe Harlacher, Edith Montgomery, Karen Prip (ed.) et al.

The field manual is specifically directed towards the rehabilitation of survivors of torture or organised violence, from 3 months after the trauma and onwards. This compilation is an attempt to provide practical recommendations for health workers at ...

DIGNITY Publications

Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims, DIGNITY

The RCT Documentation Centre and Library “holds the world’s most extensive special collection of published documents on torture and related subjects. In addition to books, reports, and articles the library holds a large collection of pictures and vid...

Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors Resource Kit for Se...

2013IRCT

The information included represents a “getting started” and “where to go for more information” guide. We present options for providers along a continuum of services they might choose to provide, from implementing a survivor service component in their...

National and international remedies for torture

2005Redress

Torture survivors and those acting on their behalf face serious obstacles in accessing justice in Sudan. This has been recognised by reports issued by official bodies and nongovernmental organisations1 and was affirmed in a October 2004 legal trainin...

Psychotherapy Treatment of Torture Survivors

2004The International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation

This article presents a project about applying a model of brief therapy to the rehabilitation of survivors of torture and organised political violence. The model includes both narrative and body oriented therapeutic approaches to the treatment of tra...

Monitoring and Evaluation of Rehabilitation Services fo...

2014Patel, N. and Williams C de C, A. ICHHR

The manual provides good practice guidelines and suggestions on steps to establish and improve monitoring and evaluation systems and how to conduct monitoring, clinical audits, service-related evaluations and clinical outcome evaluation. It is aimed ...

Child victims of torture and cruel, inhuman or degradin...

UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Dan O´Donnell and Norberto Liwski

This paper addresses the legal framework and medical and psychological impacts of torture on children. Part One, Legal Framework, begins by showing the three characteristics that legally distinguish torture from child abuse, by definition: Torture is...

Children, torture and psychological consequences

Aida Alayarian, IRCT

Deliberate infliction of pain and suffering or intimidation or coercion on children to obtain a confession or information, for punishment of real or perceived offences on the basis of discrimination about race, ethnic or political affiliation, is pra...

Concluding observations of the Committee against Tortur...

2008UNHCR

The fifth periodic report of Norway was submitted on 5 February 2008. It conformed fully with the requirements laid down in the Committee`s reporting guidelines. It provided information, article by article, on new measures to implement the Convention...

Concluding observations of the Committee against Tortur...

UNHCR

Concluding observations on the combined sixth and seventhperiodic reports of Norway, adopted by the Committee at itsforty-ninth session (29 October to 23 November 2012). It conformed fully with the requirements laid down in the Committee`s reporting ...

Medical Investigation and Documentation of Torture

2005Human Rights Centre, University of Essex. M. Peel, N. Lubell, J Beynon.

A practical guide that aims at providing torture rehabilitation centres and other NGOs involved in anti-torture activities with easily accessible and practi cal advice on how to most effectively engage with and contribute to country visits by the Un...

 

Organisations and sites

Some useful links to organizations distributing information and working against torture, documentation and investigation.

World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

OMCT is today the largest international coalition of NGOs fighting against torture, summary executions, forced disappearances and all other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in order to preserve Human Rights. It has at its disposal a ne...

DIGNITY – Danish Institute Against Torture

DIGNITY, former known as RCT,is a self-governing institution that is independent of party politics. DIGNITY`s main fields of activity are treatment of torture survivors; examination, documentation and prevention of torture and organised violence; int...

Freedom from Torture – Medical Foundation for the...

To help survivors of torture begin to rebuild their lives. Sharing expertise with partner organisations in the UK and internationally, Freedom from Torture operates as a centre of learning and knowledge in the care, treatment and protection of tortur...

UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture

The Fund was established by General Assembly resolution 36/151 of 16 December 1981 to receive voluntary contributions from Governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals for distribution to non-governmental organizations providing humani...

UN Committee against Torture

The Committee against Torture was established pursuant to article 17 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and began to function on 1 January 1988.

REDRESS

REDRESS helps torture survivors obtain justice and reparation. Reparation (including rehabilitation and compensation) plays an important part in the rebuilding of the lives of those who have suffered torture. Seeking legal redress also helps to comba...

Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT)

The Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) is an independent non-governmental organisation working worldwide to prevent torture and ill-treatment.

Canadian Center for Victims of Torture (CCVT)

Is a non-profit, founded by several Toronto doctors, lawyers and social service professionals, many of whom were associated with Amnesty International.The CCVT was incorporated in 1983 as the Canadian Centre for the Investigation and Prevention of To...

Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition Inter...

Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) is the only organization founded by and for survivors of torture. It was established in 1998, on the guiding principles that torture is a crime against humanity and that survivo...

International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victim...

The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) is an independent, international health professional organization, which promotes and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims and works for the prevention of torture worldwide...

Reprive

An organisation of courageous and committed human rights defenders. Founded in 1999, we provide free legal and investigative support to some of the world’s most vulnerable people: those facing execution, and those victimised by states’ abusive counte...

Torture: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims ...

2019International Rehabilitation Council For Torture Victims

Torture Journal examines the impact of forensic documentation of torture in diverse settings around the world and identifies innovative rehabilitation approaches. Fresh research and perspectives on sport-based rehabilitation, as well as other key top...

Resources for Torture Survivors, Refugees, Detainees, &...

This website (set up by a clinical psychologist) collects over 130 useful links to help torture survivors and asylum seekers to find information on lots of topics import to know (guidelines, networks, legal services etc).

The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT)

CVT exists to heal the wounds of government-sponsored torture on individuals, their families, and communities and to stop its practice. We work locally, nationally and internationally.

TORTURE: Asian and Global Perspectives Magazine

TM

A bi-monthly magazine on the issue of torture. Torture is often used by authoritarian regimes as a means of maintaining control and suppressing dissent. Our policy is against any form of torture and creates a common platform to everyone in Asia and a...

African Centre for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of ...

The mission of ACTV is to increase the general quality and quantity of treatment offered to traumatised victims of institutionalised torture and to enhance the democratisation process by increased awareness of basic human rights.

Survivors of Torture, International

Survivors of Torture International in San Diego, California, is a multidisciplinary service organization of providers who include medical and mental health workers, as well as other professionals. SURVIVORS also hosts regular trainings for students a...