On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Torture Victims on 26 June, the Subcommittee on Human Rigts (DROI) holds an exchange of views with Mauro PALMA, President of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, and Brita SYDHOFF, Secretary General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

exchange of views

Subcommittee on Human Rights

respect for human rights in the world (T)

International Day against Torture: extracts from the exchange of views

SOUNDBITE (English), Mauro PALMA, President of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, First of all, one area is the fallout of the fight against terrorism. The extension of the maximum periods of custody, limitations of the exercise of the fundamental safeguards and highly debatable practices such as seeking diplomatic assurances from states with poor human rights records, these are some of the things that I have in mind.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mauro PALMA, President of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Another major subject of concern is impunity, a problem that is encountered by the CPT in many countries, including many EU countries. It cannot be repeated too often that the credibility of the provision of torture and other forms of the civil treatment is undermined each time officials responsible for such offenses are not held to account for their actions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mauro PALMA, President of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, The third area of concern is the treatment of persons that came under aliens' legislation. This has been the focus of many CPT's visits in recent years. The committee is fully conscious of the great difficulties confronting certain European countries as a result of the significant influx of irregular migrants and those countries are certainly entitled to aspect other members of the international community to make a concert effort to help them tackle this problem.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mauro PALMA, President of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, I believe that there is much scope for cooperation between us build on our respective incompetences. Perhaps this process should ultimately led to unit accession as it was mentioned to the convention establishing the CPT. This is an idea put on the table through a resolution adopted by your Parliament on the 19th of May. This is the state of affairs, this is our involvement and this is our hope to cooperate with you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Brita SYDHOFF, Secretary General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), You MEPs have a crucial role to play in providing the oversight accountability and democratic legitimacy crucial to the EU, a role often carried out with a plumb, such as in your recent resolution, recognising the need for urgent action by the Commission and Member states to improve laws designed to stop the EU trade on tools of torture that were mentioned.

SOUNDBITE (English), Brita SYDHOFF, Secretary General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Instuments such as the guidelines for EU policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, should be consistently applied and promoted to strengthen the anti-torture work carried out by the EU beyond its borders. Close collaboration between EU bodies and local civil society organisations is also crucial for the success of such works.

SOUNDBITE (English), Brita SYDHOFF, Secretary General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Europe often lets these peoples down when its actions fall sort of its ideals. The right of rehabilitation for tortured victims is enshrined in international law, yet all too often the funding for rehabilitation is lacking. The pain of the torture continues unabated within the borders of our safe and prosperous Union due to the lack of funding needed to meet legal obligations.

SOUNDBITE (English), Brita SYDHOFF, Secretary General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), We call upon you to work for an end to torture and secret detention within the context of anti-terrorism measures. While maybe not as prominent an issue in the media in the recent years, this is still an ongoing problem.

SOUNDBITE (English), Brita SYDHOFF, Secretary General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Let this 26 of June commemoration here in the Parliament and those taking place across the world over the next few days, all of our centres mark this day, let this day to remind us all of our duty to enhance our support to the victims, to the world and to work for a world without torture in the future.