On 26 June, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Amnesty International members and supporters in more than 55 countries will hold events to remind people that thousands are being tortured around the world. Activities range from runs against torture to street theatre and demonstrations.
Amnesty International launched the Stop Torture campaign on 13 May 2014 to expose a “global crisis on torture”. Since then it has issued reports on torture in five countries: Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines and Uzbekistan.
Some of the cases that Amnesty International is highlighting include:
– Yecenia Armenta, a Mexican woman with two children, who has spent almost three years in prison awaiting trial on charges of murdering her husband. The prosecution based the charge on a “confession” she signed after 15 hours of police torture, including sexual violence and threats to rape her children.
– Wafae Charaf and Oussama Housne, Moroccan activists jailed for slander and “false reporting” after they said they had been tortured.
– Moses Akatugba, a Nigerian tortured to “confess” and sentenced to death for alleged armed robbery of three mobile phones in 2005 when he was 16. Moses was pardoned on 28 May and released on 3 June 2015.
– Uzbekistani journalist Muhammad Bekzhanov, who has been in prison since 1999 after a conviction that relied on a “confession” elicited by torture including beatings, suffocation and electric shocks.
Survivors of torture, their families and lawyers, human rights activists and medical professionals who can talk about these and other cases are available for interview.
More on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture:
26 June: A Day of Global Action for Survivors of Torture
Facts & Figures: What you need to know about torture around the world.
Follow activities all week on the Stop Torture tumblr page.