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FCO Minister marks International Day for Victims of Torture

Baroness Anelay stresses the role that rehabilitation of victims of torture can play in the fight against torture and obtaining justice

Marking International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Minister for Human Rights Baroness Anelay said recently:

Today, the British Government expresses its enduring support for the victims of torture throughout the world.

Torture is always wrong and can never be justified. Torture has a traumatic and life changing impact on those who endure it. Victims often find themselves unable to pursue redress and rehabilitation. As I said on 15 June at the start of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, it is our solemn duty to give voice to those whose rights have been violated and abused and to call for accountability.

Rehabilitation of torture victims is an integral part of the fight against torture and other ill treatment, and an important prerequisite for the pursuit of justice and the prevention of torture.

The UK continues its efforts to encourage states to fulfil their obligations to prevent torture. I strongly urge states that have not yet done so to ratify and effectively implement the Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol, and to create an environment where those accessing or providing rehabilitation services can do so without fear of reprisals.

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