Celebration of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in Ituri

3 Jul 2013

Celebration of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in Ituri

Bunia, 27 June 2012 - The Ituri district, in the northeastern Oriental Province, has, for a long time, suffered from the torments of armed conflicts. The civilian population has been the victim of all kinds of abuses and exactions, but now there is hope for a better future.

It is against this backdrop that the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was celebrated in Ituri this Wednesday, 27 June 2013. This commemoration was organized by the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) together with local authorities, human rights and civil society activists.

The event provided the UNJHRO chief in Ituri with an opportunity to recall the numerous cases of torture that had gone unreported by either victims or human rights activists.

In order to equip the many activists present at this ceremony so they can better do their work on the ground, several themes were developed and explained, including the notions of torture; the role of NGOs in the fight against torture; the distinction between torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

With a view to providing timely assistance to victims, the activists were encouraged to document and report on more cases of torture committed in their community.

Amadou Maiga/MONUSCO