Preventing+Use+of+Torture

=Question of: Preventing the use of torture and cruel, inhumane, and/or degrading punishment=

Background
Torture is a serious issue on violation of human rights and is strictly prohibited by international law. It was one of the first issues dealt with by the United Nations (UN) in its development of human rights standards and one of its first measured was to abolish physical punishment in colonial territories in 1949. Although it was restricted legally, torture continues to be used in many countries around the world. Amnesty International highlighted that every year thousands of perpetrators beat, rape and electrocute other human beings in its 2001 report (“Torture”). All kinds of human rights cover some key articles relating to torture and inhuman punishments, including rights to be protected from torture, duty to accuse torturers, not to be expelled, and rights of victims to obtain redress, fair compensation, and to be protected from retaliation for making complaints (“Torture”).

Victims in nations
According to Human Rights Watch, the use of torture was documented in many countries, including China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Uganda and Uzbekistan between 2004 and 2005 (“Countries Using Torture”). Although torture or any other inhuman punishment is outlawed internationally, abuse of suspects and prisoners for extracting confessions and maintaining discipline are still remained widespread around the world. Interrogators aim at narrow definition of the regional laws in certain nations including China and widely apply the torturing methods without leaving physical marks, making it not to be treated as illegal act ( Watts ). With more activities and programs to prevent such violation of human rights, the number of documented torture cases fell fortunately; however, there is still need of international help in countering the issue. For instance, in Columbia the total number of cases fell 43.5 percent overall, it still increased 80 percent from 2003 to 2008 ( Martinez ). Considering that this statistics is only targeting at documented torture cases, there would be even more cases that are not reported, which make it hard to distinguish whether if the issue were truly becoming serious or better.

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
This is the convention created in 1984 by UN treaty with concern of torture and adopted with force by General Assembly in 1987. It consists of 33 articles which cover all relevant rights to the issue. Moreover, UN treaty created a Committee Against Torture according to their article 17, and it elects ten experts for a four-year term. The committee reserves rights to initiate state visits providing the “consent of the state concerned” according to article 20 (“Torture”).

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights
Based on their resolution 1985/33, The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR) decided to appoint an advisor, a special rapporteur, to examine questions related to torture. It covers all countries, irrespective of whether member states accepted the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment or not .The purpose of the commission is comprised in three main parts: “ 1) transmitting urgent appeals to states with regard to individuals reported to be at risk of torture, as well as communications on past alleged cases of torture; 2) undertaking fact-finding country visits; and 3) submitting annual reports on activities to the human Rights Council and the General Assembly” ( "Special Rapporteur…” ).

The UN Voluntary Fund of Victims of Torture
The UN Voluntary Fund of Victims of Torture is one of the humanitarian Trust Funds of the UN, created in 1981 based in OHCHR. The fund is relied on the annual voluntary donations from governments, NGOs, the private sectors and individuals, and they are used in variety of organizations which provide psychological, medical, social, legal and economic assistance to victims of torture ( "UN Helps Torture Victims Rebuild Their Lives" ).

The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)
The World Organization Against Torture is created in 1985 and is the main union of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) fighting against torture, summary execution and all other inhuman or degrading treatment. It is working cooperatively with ECOSOC (United Nation), the International Labor Organization, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie, and the Council of Europe to counter the issue on violation of human rights particularly about tortures and provides personalized medical, legal and/or social assistance to victims of torture. (“About OMCT”).

Amnesty International (AI)
Amnesty International is NGO that is independent from any governmental or political ideology, consists of 3 million supporters, members and activists in more than 150 countries. The ultimate purpose of AI is to meet all international human rights standards, especially the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Under UN’s supervision, Amnesty International runs a campaign called The Stamp Out Torture campaign globally. It published the site [|www.stoptorture.org], allowing AI to engage more people into this human rights issue in cyber society as well ( "Who We Are | Amnesty International" ).

Human Rights Education Associations (HREA)
Human Rights Education Associations is an international NGO that support education and training of human rights with various forms of groups such as other NGOs, inter-governmental organizations, governments and even individuals. It provides educational services such as assistance in curriculum, training professional groups, and networking human rights defenders and educators (“About Us”). Visit [|HERE] for list of organizations that monitors torture and [|HERE] for the list of organizations that take care of victims of torture.

=Work Cited= "About OMCT." //OMCT//. The World Organization Against Torture. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. . "About Us." //HREA//. Human Rights Education Associations. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. . "Countries Using Torture." //Infoplease//. Infoplease. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. . Martinez, Helda. "RIGHTS-COLOMBIA: Less Torture, More Impunity - IPS Ipsnews.net."//IPS Inter Press Service//. IPS, 13 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. . "Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment." //OHCHR//. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. . "Torture." //HREA//. Human Rights Education Associations. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. . Watts, Jonathan. "Torture Still Widespread in China, Says UN Investigator." //The Guardian//. Guardian News and Media, 02 Dec. 2005. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. . "Who We Are | Amnesty International." //Amnesty International//. Amnesty International. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. . "UN Helps Torture Victims Rebuild Their Lives." //OHCHR.org//. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 25 May 2011. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. .