25th anniversary of the Committee against Torture: time for universal rejection of torture!

Timefor universal rejection of torture!

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Today marks the 25th anniversary of theUN Committee against Torture, the guardian of one of the most widely acceptedinternational human rights conventions. In a campaign for universalratification of the Convention against Torture, several leading human rightsorganisations now call on the remaining 42 countries to join the treaty andrecognize the full competence of the Committee against Torture.

The Convention against Torture, ratified by 153 countries, is the only treatyat the international level concerned exclusively with the eradication oftorture around the world. By ratifying the convention, States commit to maketorture a crime, ensure accountability for perpetrators, and to provide redressfor torture victims. The Convention also requires States parties to take effectivemeasures to prevent all forms of torture and ill-treatment of people deprivedof their liberty.

In a joint effort, OMCT together with APT, Redress, TRIAL, IRCT, FIACAT and Alkarama areaddressing the remaining States to encourage them to join the Convention andmake it the first universally-ratified human rights treaty – and a greatstep towards a world free from torture.

Of the countries that have not yet ratified theUN Convention against Torture, almost all have made voluntary pledges toconsider ratification, especially in the context of the regular UniversalPeriodic Review by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.

The undersigned organisations therefore call onall States which are not yet parties to the Convention to seize the opportunityof the 25th anniversary of the Committee against Torture, and takethis necessary step towards the global eradication of torture.