Kinshasa, 24 June 2011 - The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, held annually on 26 June, was celebrated In Kinshasa on the 24 of June. Key official figures who attended the ceremony included the Minister of Human Rights and Justice, Mr. Luzolo Bambi, and the Deputy-Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in DRC, Ms Leila Zerrougui. Along with them were several representatives of human rights and civil society organizations, as well as the United Nations common system.

In his speech, the Minister noted that some progress had been made in the fight against torture, while by the same token he said there are many challenges still lay ahead. In this respect, Mr. Bambi said his country made torture anti-constitutional. The DRC, he also indicated, passed a law on 10 January 2009, making the use of torture, especially against children, a criminal offence, and promulgated another law banning forced labor.

The Minister estimated the total number of prisoners legally detained at 12,000, which he said was very high. He, therefore, urged the "immediate" release of all inmates held unlawfully. Furthermore, Mr. Bambi reckoned that improving the overall conditions of detention would go a long way in contributing to the fight against torture.

Ms. Leila Zerrougui delivered the UN Secretary-General's message, which paid tribute to "the men and women who have suffered, enduring their ordeal with courage and inner strength."

The Deputy-Director of the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office, Mr. Louis-Marie Bouaka, read out the statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navy Pillay, warning that governments and their despots, who torture must know that this practice is a serious international crime, for which they will be brought to justice sooner or later.

The UN Convention against Torture, which was adopted on 10 December 1984, entered into force on 26 June 1987.

Penangnini Toure/ MONUSCO