International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

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International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Also called26 June
TypeInternational
Date26 June
Next time26 June 2026 (2026-06-26)
Frequencyannual
Related to Human Rights Day

The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is an international observance held annually on 26 June to speak out against the crime of torture and to honor and support victims and survivors throughout the world. The first 26 June events were launched in 1998. [1]

Contents

History

The first 26 June events were launched in 1998. [1] The day was selected by the United Nations General Assembly for two reasons. First, on 26 June 1945, the United Nations Charter was signed during the midst of World War II – the first international instrument obliging UN members to respect and promote human rights. Second, 26 June 1987 was when the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into effect.

The decision to annually observe the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was taken by the UN General Assembly at the proposal of Denmark, which is home to the world-renowned International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT). [1]

This is a day on which we pay our respects to those who have endured the unimaginable. This is an occasion for the world to speak up against the unspeakable. It is long overdue that a day be dedicated to remembering and supporting the many victims and survivors of torture around the world.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, 1998 [2]

Since then, nearly 100 organizations in dozens of countries all over the world mark the day each year with events, celebrations and campaigns. [3]

On 16 July 2009, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was chosen as a public holiday in Bosnia and Herzegovina. [4]

Past observances

On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we express our solidarity with, and support for, the hundreds of thousands of victims of torture and their family members throughout the world who endure such suffering. We also note the obligation of States not only to prevent torture but to provide all torture victims with effective and prompt redress, compensation and appropriate social, psychological, medical and other forms of rehabilitation. Both the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council have now strongly urged States to establish and support rehabilitation centers or facilities.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 2012 [5]

YearTheme
2015Right To Rehabilitation (R2R) [6]

Global campaign

Every year the IRCT monitors the campaign plans of organizations around the world and towards the end of the year publishes the 26 June Global Report where it describes the events held in commemoration of the day. [7] According to the latest 26 June Global Report (2012), at least 100 organizations in 60 countries around the world commemorated the day with conferences, workshops, peaceful rallies, cultural and musical events, events for children, etc. [3]

List of organizations reported to have held events to commemorate the day in 2012: [3]

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Flag of Albania.svg Albania: Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and Torture (ARCT)
Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina: Equipo Argentino de Trabajo e Investigación Psicosocial (EATIP)
Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia: Civil Society Institute (CSI), Foundation Against Violation of Law (FAVL)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia: Phoenix Centre; Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors (STARTTS); and Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service (STTARS)
Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh: Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors (CRTS); Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD); and Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (BHRC)
Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia: Instituto de Terapia E Investigación Sobre las Secuelas de la Tortura y la Violencia Estatal (ITEI)
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina: Vive Žene Centre for Therapy and Rehabilitation
Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil: Grupo Tortura Nunca Mais / Rio de Janeiro
Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi: Solidarité d'Actions pour la Paix / Grand Lacs
Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon: Trauma Centre Cameroon
Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia: Transcultural Psychosocial Organization
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada: Canadian Centre for International Justice (CCIJ)
Flag of Chad.svg Chad: Association Jeunesse pour la Paix et la Non Violence / Centre de Réhabilitation des Victimes de la Torture (AJPNV/CRVT)
Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia: Corporación Centro de Atención Psicosocial (CAPS-CO)
Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia: Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) Zagreb
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo: OASIS Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture and Trauma (OASIS); Committee of Observers of Human Rights (CODHO); GIPROCOME; Regroupement des Mamans de Kamituga (REMAK); SOS Jeunesse et Enfance en Detresse (SOS JED); Centre Psycho Médical pour la Réhabilitation des Victimes de la Torture / Solidarité Pour la Promotion Sociale et la Paix (CPMRVT/SOPROP); SAVE CONGO; Amis des Victimes des Violations des Droits Humains (AVVDH)
Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt: El Nadeem Center for Psychological Management and Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence
Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador: Salvadoran Association of Torture Survivors (ASST)
Flag of Finland.svg Finland: Centre for Survivors of Torture in Finland (CSTF)
Flag of France.svg France: Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT)
Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia: EMPATHY, Psycho-Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture, Violence and Pronounced Stress Impact (RCT/EMPATHY); Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT)
Flag of Germany.svg Germany: Berlin Treatment Center for Torture Victims (bzfo); Medical Care Service for Refugees Bochum (MFH Bochum)
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong: Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary: Cordelia Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims
Flag of India.svg India: Centre for Care of Torture Victims (CCTV); Centre for Organisation, Research and Education / Human to Humane Transcultural Centre for Trauma and Torture (CORE/H2H); South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM); Tibetan Torture Survivors' Program (TTSP)
Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia: Alliance of Democracy for Papua (ALDP); Alliance of Civil Society for Anti-Torture (SIKAP); and Rehabilitation Action for Torture Victims in Aceh (RATA)
Flag of Iran.svg Iran: Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV)
Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq: Bahjat Al-Fuad Rehabilitation of Medical & Psychological Centre for Torture Victims (BFRCT)
Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland: SPIRASI, The Centre for the Care of Survivors of Torture (CCST)
Flag of Israel.svg Israel: Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI)
Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya: Mwatikho Torture Survivors Organization (MATESO); Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU); Center for Victims of Torture (CVT-Kenya); Centre Against Torture (CAT-Kenya); International Rescue Committee at Hagadera Refugee Camp (IRC-Hagadera)
Flag of Kosovo.svg Kosovo: Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT)
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan: GOLOS SVOBODY Public Foundation
Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon: Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC)
Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia: Liberia Association of Psychosocial Services (LAPS)
Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico: Colectivo Contra la Tortura y la Impunidad (CCTI)
Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova: Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims – "Memoria"
Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco: Association Medicale de Réhabilitation des Victimes de la Torture (AMRVT)
Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia: People's Education Assistance and Counselling for Empowerment (PEACE)
Flag of Nepal.svg   Nepal: Centre for Victims of Torture Nepal (CVICT)
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand: Refugee Trauma Recovery (RTR)
Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria: Youth Education on Human Rights and Civil Responsibility (YEHRCR); Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA)
Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan: Human Development Organization (HDO); SACH Struggle for Change
Flag of Palestine.svg Palestinian Territory: Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)
Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines: Asian Medical Students Association – Philippines (AMSA-Philippines); Balay Rehabilitation Center; Medical Action Group (MAG)
Flag of Russia.svg Russia: Interregional Nongovernmental Organization Committee Against Torture (INGOCAT)
Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal: Victimes de Violences Rehabilitées, le Centre de Soins du CAPREC (VIVRE/CAPREC)
Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia: International Aid Network Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (IAN CRTV)
Flag of Spain.svg Spain: Coordinadora para la Prevención y denuncia de la Tortura (CPDT)
Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation/Programme: Trauma and Transition Programme (CSVR/TTP); and The Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture (TCSVT)
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone: Community Association for Psychosocial Services (CAPS)
Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa: The Trauma Centre For Survivors of Violence and Torture (TCSVT)
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka: Survivors Associated (SA); Family Rehabilitation Centre (FRC); Human Rights Office – Kandy
Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden: Red Cross – Stockholm; Red Cross – Malmö
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland: World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Flag of Togo (3-2).svg Togo: Collective of Associations Against Impunity in Togo (CACIT)
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey: Centre of Social Action, Rehabilitation and Readjustment for the victims of torture (SOHRAM-CASRA); Foundation for Social and Legal Studies (TOHAV)
Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda: African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom: London Guantanamo Campaign (LGC); Freedom From Torture; Refugee Therapy Centre (RTC); Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum and Redress
Flag of the United States.svg United States: Survivors of Torture, International; Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture; Center for Survivors of Torture, San Jose; Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma (CSTWT); Florida Center for Survivors of Torture – A Program of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, Inc. (FCST); Program for Survivors of Torture and Severe Trauma at the Center for Multicultural Human Services (a program of NVFS); Center for Victims of Torture (CVT); Center for Survivors of Torture, Dallas; National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT)
Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela: Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y la Paz

In Asia the Asian Human Rights Commission holds regional events every year. Anti-torture networks in various Asian countries that still suffer from the widespread use of torture hold rallies and public events.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "UN Official Website for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture". Background. United Nations. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  2. Message of UN Secretary-General
  3. 1 2 3 "26 June 2012 Global Report". Sharing knowledge and awareness-raising. IRCT – International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  4. У БиХ четири дана државних празника ("Four days of public holidays in Bosnia and Herzegovina") (in Serbian)
  5. Secretary-General's Message for 2012
  6. "International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims". Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  7. "26 June Global Report". Archived from the original on 13 July 2014.