§ Lord Ormeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action is being taken to address the United Nations International Day for Victims of Torture. [HL4955]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos)On 26 June, UN International Day in support of Victims of Torture, the FCO launched phase 3 of the UK Anti-Torture Initiative.
During the first two phases of the UK Anti-Torture Initiative, launched in October 1998 and December 2000 by my right honourable friend the Member for Livingston, the UK combined a global lobbying campaign for universal ratification of the UN Convention against Torture (at the time ratified by just over 50 per cent of UN member states) with a number of practical measures, including the publication and distribution of 20,000 copies in seven languages of a handbook giving guidance on reporting instances of torture, financial support for the UN's work with torture victims and the secondment of a senior UK police officer to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
Phase 3 will combine continued global lobbying with new practical steps. Since December 1998, 13 more countries have ratified the UN CAT. Our target is to secure another five ratifications by the end of 2003, bringing the total to 134 or 70 per cent. We will also be lobbying with EU partners for the adoption of the draft optional protocol to the CAT. The protocol is intended to help prevent torture by allowing both UN and independent national teams the right to inspect places of detention in signatory countries.
New practical measures for phase 3 will include:
a new publication on judicial safeguards to provide judiciary and law makers worldwide with examples of best practice regarding judicial control of torture;
support for the African Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur on Prisons, in particular her monitoring role of prison conditions with regard to the prevention of torture;
establishment of a visiting programme to UK for senior clinicians who work in countries where the practice of torture is widespread for work placements with leading NGOs involved in torture rehabilitation; and the FCO will also continue to provide financial support of £175,000 per year to the UN Voluntary Fund for the Victims of Torture which provides urgent medical and legal support worldwide.
20WAPhase 3 will be the last stage of activity. After this, to consolidate efforts of the past three years to combat torture, the FCO is planning to mainstream torture work within the FCO's general human rights mandate and set up a panel of experts to advise on future strategy.