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International
Day in support of victims of Torture
The fight against
torture: a key priority for the EU
The Delegation of the European Commission to India in collaboration with
the United Nations Information Centre, organised a special event to
observe the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on the
26th of June 2008, at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
This event was organised as part of a worldwide campaign of Information
and Communication initiated by the European Commission to convey the EU
commitment to the fight against torture.
The main speakers at the event were Hon'ble Justice Rajendra Babu,
Chairperson NHRC, Dr.Girija Vyas, Chairperson National Women's
Commission, H. E. Mrs. Daniele Smadja, Ambassador and Head of Delegation
of the European Commission to India, H.E. Miklavz Borstnik current EU
Presidency of Slovenia, H. E. Jerome Bonnafont forthcoming EU Presidency
of France and Mr.Vincent Nicod Head of ICRC.
In her address Mrs. Smadja said the "EU's fight against Torture is
worldwide, and no country is singled out or exempted from our
discussions". She further said that "Today is a day for
governments and international communities to ask themselves whether they
are doing enough to prevent acts of torture, assist their victims,
punish the perpetrators and ensure that they are not repeated."
The prevention and the eradication of all forms of torture and
ill-treatment within the EU and worldwide is one of the main objectives
of the EU human rights policy. The EU Guidelines on Torture, adopted in
2001, and updated in April 2008, provide the general framework for EU
action in this area towards third countries, as well as in multilateral
human rights fora. These Guidelines foresee the use of all available
tools of diplomacy and co-operation, most notably through political
dialogue, demarches and assistance under the European Instrument for
Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).
Over the last 5 years, an average of EURO 12 million or Rs 700 million
per year has been allocated to funding torture projects, thereby making
the EIDHR the leading source of funding for civil society projects
aiming at the rehabilitation of victims and the prevention of torture
worldwide. This also includes funding for torture rehabilitation centres
inside the EU. The projects selected are designed to reinforce EU
policy, for example, awareness-raising on the Optional Protocol to the
UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT), investigation into the supply of
torture technology etc. In the EIDHR Strategy Paper for 2007-2010, the
European Commission allocates ?44 million or Rs2.6 billion over the next
four years to the fight against torture. As the largest trading actor,
the EU is also trying to prevent the use, production and trade of
equipment designed to inflict torture or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment. Significant progress has now been
achieved towards fulfilling this commitment with the entry into force in
July 2006 of a European Regulation on trade in goods which could be used
for capital punishment or torture. This represents a first attempt at
regional level to introduce such a ban and the EU hopes that other
states will introduce similar legislation.
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