On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Journalist Support Committee Assures on its Support for all Detained Journalists who have been Subjected to Torture

The Journalist Support Committee grasps the opportunity of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to declare decisively its absolute support for anyone who has been subjected to torture, especially journalists and bloggers who have been tortured for carrying out their professional duties in transmitting, editing and disseminating news.

In addition, the Committee strongly calls for the right of the tortured victims, especially journalists, to have all the means that enable them to fulfil their rights.

The Committee also recalls the absolute prohibition of torture with clear and unambiguous terms listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the United Nations Convention against Torture. Arab journalists are subjected to unlawful punishment, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearance.

On this day, the Committee calls upon all States in the League of Arab States to respect the content of article 4 of the United Nations Convention against Torture and to criminalize all acts of tortures faced by the detainees. It also calls upon the relevant United Nations bodies to contribute to joint action in order to ensure the end of this abhorrent and absurd practice.

The committee embraced the message of the Secretary-General of the United Nations which included "we must support victims and ensure respect for their right to rehabilitation and redress...Torture is a vicious attempt at breaking a person’s will. On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, I urge all States to end impunity for perpetrators and eradicate these reprehensible acts that defy our common humanity."

Journalist Support Committee - Switzerland
 26 June 2019