26 June - Support Torture victims

NEWS

26 June - International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Madrid, Spain, 26 June 2026

On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed annually on 26 June, the Centre for Development and Justice International (CDJI) reaffirms its commitment to the absolute prohibition of torture and to advancing justice systems that protect human dignity, prevent ill-treatment, and ensure effective remedies for victims.

The day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly to honour survivors of torture, recognise their resilience, and reaffirm the international community's commitment to eradicating torture in all its forms. It also marks the entry into force of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), one of the cornerstone international human rights treaties dedicated to preventing torture worldwide.

Today, 174 States have ratified the UN Convention against Torture, while 94 States are parties to its Optional Protocol (OPCAT), which establishes a system of independent preventive monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty through National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs). These international commitments reflect the global recognition that torture can only be effectively prevented through strong legal safeguards, independent oversight, accountability, and transparency.

Torture Remains a Global Human Rights Challenge

Supporting Survivors Through Justice Reform

CDJI's Commitment

The Centre for Development and Justice International continues to work with governments, national human rights institutions, justice professionals, civil society organisations, and international partners to strengthen torture prevention across Central Asia and beyond.

Through specialised training programmes, legislative assistance, institutional capacity-building, support for National Preventive Mechanisms, promotion of ethical investigative interviewing under the P.E.A.C.E. Model, and initiatives aimed at strengthening independent oversight of places of deprivation of liberty, CDJI contributes to building justice systems grounded in human rights, accountability, and respect for human dignity.

"On this 26 June - International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Centre for Development and Justice International stands in solidarity with every survivor of torture and ill-treatment around the world. Their experiences remind us that torture destroys lives, families, and communities, leaving wounds that often endure for decades. True justice requires more than condemning torture - it demands prevention, accountability, rehabilitation, and meaningful support for survivors. By placing victims at the centre of justice reform, strengthening independent oversight, promoting rights-based policing and detention practices, and ensuring access to effective remedies, we can build institutions that protect human dignity and help ensure that no one is ever subjected to torture again."

"Especially when it comes down to the effective provision of guarantees of non-repetition as part of the right to reparations of torture victims, the mandate of the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs), geared towards the forward-looking, preventive outlook, is of paramount importance. So today, as we mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture and as we honour their suffering, let us also embrace the importance of prevention in advancing the plight of torture victims."

Elīna Šteinerte
Chair of the Board of the CDJI, Member of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture

A Call for Action

On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, CDJI calls upon governments, justice institutions, international organisations, and civil society to:

fully implement the UN Convention against Torture and the Optional Protocol (OPCAT);
strengthen National Preventive Mechanisms and independent monitoring of all places of deprivation of liberty;
ensure prompt, impartial, and effective investigations into all allegations of torture and ill-treatment;
guarantee access to justice, rehabilitation, and effective remedies for victims and survivors;
promote ethical, evidence-based investigative interviewing and transparent detention practices;
continue strengthening criminal justice institutions through human rights-based reforms.

Torture is preventable. Protecting human dignity requires sustained commitment, effective institutions, and a justice system built on accountability, transparency, and respect for fundamental rights. On 26 June, we stand with every survivor of torture and reaffirm our commitment to a future where torture has no place in any society.

Azamat Shambilov, President of the CDJI

Despite the absolute prohibition of torture under international law, torture and ill-treatment continue to occur in many parts of the world.

According to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, the Fund supports rehabilitation, legal assistance, and access to justice for approximately 50,000 survivors of torture each year, while it is estimated that around 100,000 people worldwide are victims of torture or continue to experience torture and ill-treatment annually.

The consequences of torture extend far beyond physical injuries. Survivors often live with lifelong psychological trauma, chronic health conditions, social exclusion, loss of livelihoods, and barriers to accessing justice. Torture also affects families and communities, undermining public confidence in institutions and weakening the rule of law.

International human rights bodies have consistently emphasised that combating torture requires a comprehensive approach that combines prevention, accountability, victim rehabilitation, institutional reform, and effective safeguards throughout the criminal justice process.

From Prevention to Accountability

The prohibition of torture is absolute. No exceptional circumstances - including war, public emergency, terrorism, or threats to national security - may ever be invoked to justify torture.

Preventing torture requires more than criminalising abusive practices. It demands professional investigative interviewing, effective judicial oversight, independent monitoring of detention facilities, transparent custody procedures, prompt access to legal assistance, and mechanisms capable of identifying risks before violations occur.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) represents one of the most significant international prevention mechanisms by requiring regular, independent visits to all places where people are deprived of their liberty. National Preventive Mechanisms play a central role in identifying systemic risks, strengthening accountability, and promoting reforms that reduce the likelihood of torture and ill-treatment.

Ensuring justice for survivors requires more than condemning torture after it occurs. Victims must have access to effective remedies, rehabilitation services, legal assistance, and guarantees that such violations will never happen again.

Justice institutions, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, judges, lawyers, oversight bodies, national human rights institutions, and civil society all play essential roles in building systems capable of preventing abuse while protecting the rights and dignity of every individual.

Find us:

Madrid, Spain

Terms & Conditions

Refund Policy