Event : Documenting Torture in Europe
International Multiplier Conference by the Leuven Institute of Criminology (LINC) under the auspices of ART-IP project (Awareness Raising and Training Measures for the Istanbul Protocol in Europe)
Date: 15 March 2013, 9.30 to 17.15
Venue: Small Aula (room 00.15), Faculty of Theology, Maria Theresia College, Leuven, Belgium
Torture and related acts constitute one of the most common and devastating challenges to the physical and mental health of individuals, groups and society. Not only do they affect the well-being of individuals in their countries of origin or in host countries in Europe, they also have an impact on the way in which government services and professionals deal with their consequences. Ill-treatment and torture still occur in many parts of the world and also Europe faces the problems associated with this social plague.
The Istanbul Protocol (Manual on Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment) is the joint United Nations and World Medical Association standard for training in the “assessment of persons who allege torture and ill treatment, for investigating cases of alleged torture, and for reporting such findings to the judiciary and any other investigative body”. It sets out concrete strategies to make the existing standards about torture better known around the world and became an official UN document in 1999.
After a general introduction of the existing international instruments against torture and the specific contribution of the Istanbul Protocol, two sets of parallel workshops will focus on the particular aspects for the health profession and the legal profession. Specific attention is also given in two consecutive creative workshops to the elaboration of visual training aids for the further dissemination of the Istanbul Protocol and the fight against torture in general. A detailed programme is available here.
Participation is free of charge but advance registration is required. To register please send an email to Sonja Wellens.
