New Tactics | English, torture

Mobilizing public resources for victims of human rights violations

ICAR Foundation in Romania mobilized public resources for the victims of human rights violations in order to get the State to take full responsibility for its actions by acknowledging and treating former political prisoners justly and humanely. Over nearly a decade, ICAR succeeded in getting the State to use public resources to assist in providing first the physical premises for torture treatment centers, and then the right to free medicines and insurance coverage for the specialized care and services that torture survivors required.

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Performing independent postmortem examinations to document cases of torture

The Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) was established in 1995, after the Kenya Medical Association issued a press statement asserting that no torture took place in Kenya. The IMLU is a network of independent doctors and lawyers who challenge official reports of deaths in custody by performing postmortem examinations to document suspected cases torture and providing medical and legal aid to prisoners and survivors of torture. Clients who want a postmortem on family members first complete a Post-Mortem Request Form and, because of IMLU’s network throughout the country, doctors who live nearest to the victim quickly administer postmortems. Results are carefully documented according to medical and legal guidelines. IMLU encourages clients to seek legal redress when evidence of torture is discovered. For clients who cannot afford a lawyer, IMLU refers them to a network of lawyers and NGOs providing pro bono legal services. Their goal is to pursue public interest cases that will set a precedent against the use of torture and send a message to perpetrators of torture.

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Training local NGOs to help them build stronger relationships with the individuals they are trying to help

The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) trains local NGOs on counseling skills and awareness on the impact of torture so that they will develop better relationships based on trust, compassion, and caring with victims of torture. In doing so, this tactic provides local advocacy NGOs with the ability to build stronger relationships with the individuals they are trying to help.

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notebook: Uncovering the Evidence

In this notebook we learn about the ways in which forensic science can unearth human rights abuses from the past and bring closure to families as well as truth to the judicial process. The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team has been training human rights NGOs to use forensic tools to advance investigations. Through this science one can tell if a person was tortured, if the death was accidental or intentional and they can try to indentify the person.

notebook: Sending Out an SMS: A rapid-response mobile phone network engages a youth constituency to stop torture fast

In this notebook text-messages and short message services are used to engage young people to quickly stop torture. Amnesty International-Netherlands recognized that text-messaging was an easy medium to use to reach out to youth. It was successfully used to protest torture when the Democratic Republic of Congo arrested a journalist.

notebook: Reparations

In this notebook we learn how civil laws can be used to hold torturers and other human rights abusers accountable, and to gain reparations for survivors.

notebook: Rebuilding Communities

In this notebook we learn about how the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) created local and and long-term capacity building projects in Guinea and Sierra Leone. The CVT trained local refugees to be "mental health specialists" and gave them the skills to begin to rebuild their communities. This notebook may provide tactical ideas to those assisting these communities trying to rebuild their lives.

notebook: Making the State Pay

This notebook describes how one organization (ICAR) in Romania was able to pressure the government to accept its moral and legal obligation to provide care to torture victims. The group had international support but they recognized that it was the states responsibility to rehabilitate this socially marginalized group.

notebook: I'll Walk Beside You

In this notebook we learn about the the process of creating 'briefers' to accompany victims during the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). These 'briefers' aided victims before, during, and after they testified by providing psychosocial support and legal support.