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 8 March 2010
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UN expert says torture remains a global problem

08/03/2010

The United Nations independent expert on torture told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday that torture, a serious crime and a direct attack on the core of human dignity, unfortunately remains a global phenomenon.

Manfred Nowak

Manfred Nowak

Manfred Nowak the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, points out that his global study is based, among other things, on findings during 16 official missions and several other visits to many countries in all regions of the world.

Mr. Nowak warns that the reality of the majority in the world is alarming and deserves the full attention of the Council.

"Only very few countries such as Denmark seem to have managed to eradicate torture in practice. In the vast majority of states, torture occurs either in isolated cases, as exemplified during my recent missions to Uruguay and Jamaica, or in a more regular manner as found recently in Kazakhstan, or even in a widespread and systematic manner such as Equatorial Guinea."

Mr. Nowak is also concerned about the way he has been treated during his missions, pointing out that some governments have put him under intense surveillance and made various attempts to obstruct fact-finding.

He says the worst experience was Zimbabwe where security forces denied him entry into the country, kept him at Harare Airport for one night and then sent him back to South Africa.

Diane Bailey, UN Radio.

(duration: 1'24")



Sound bites

Manfred Nowak Cut

"Only very few countries such as Denmark seem to have managed to eradicate torture in practice. In the vast majority of states, torture occurs either in isolated cases, as exemplified during my recent missions to Uruguay and Jamaica, or in a more regular manner as found recently in Kazakhstan, or even in a widespread and systematic manner such as Equatorial Guinea."
Duration: 00:00:22

Manfred Nowak Cut

"This global study is based, inter alia, on the findings during 16 official missions and several other visits to many countries in all regions of the world, three joint studies, together with other special procedures and extensive research and a variety of topics related to my mandate. It also reflects the experience during my most recent missions, three of which form part of our interactive dialogue today."
Duration: 00:00:26

Manfred Nowak Cut

"In Equatorial Guinea I found a systematic practice of torture, extremely inhuman conditions of detention in police custody and a certain lack of cooperation by the government. In Uruguay and Jamaica on the other hand, the cooperation of both governments was excellent. In both countries I found only isolated cases of torture but surprisingly poor conditions of detention. While the conditions of detention were much better in Kazakhstan and had improved in recent years, the practice of torture certainly went beyond isolated cases but was not widespread or systematic. And I with so explicitly thank the government of Kazakhstan for their cooperation and for having provided me with further information even at a very late stage."
Duration: 00:00:45

Manfred Nowak Cut

"Mr. President I wish to express my gratitude to all governments who invited me to carry out fact finding missions in their territory and who provided me with the necessary information and cooperation to assess the situation of torture, ill-treatment and conditions of detention in their countries. The extensive references to these countries should not be misinterpreted as naming and shaming those countries which I was able to visit, thanks to their generous cooperation, but as mere illustration of a situation that seems to be representative for a great many countries in today's world."
Duration: 00:00:33

Manfred Nowak Cut

Unfortunately, some of the governments who had invited me, including China, Jordan Indonesia and more recently Equatorial Guinea and Kazakhstan put me under intense surveillance and made various attempts to obstruct my independent fact finding by preparing places of detention or intimidating witnesses and detainees. These efforts contradict the very purpose of my missions and make independent fact finding extremely difficult."
Duration: 00:00:26

Manfred Nowak Cut

"Some governments issued an invitation but did not agree to the terms of the reference, including confidential interviews with detainees and or postponed or cancelled the mission at the last minute. My worst experience was in respect of Zimbabwe. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs postponed the invitation at a time when my team of four experts had already arrived in South Africa and I was en route to South Africa as well. Although Prime Minister Tvangirai explicitly confirmed his desire to meet me in Harare as originally scheduled, the security forces of President Mugabe denied me entry to their country, kept me for one night at the Harare airport and sent me back to South Africa.
Duration: 00:00:41

Manfred Nowak Cut

"Most victims of torture are ordinary people, suspected of having committed criminal offenses, often belonging to disadvantaged, discriminated and vulnerable groups above all those suffering from poverty. The major structural reasons for the widespread practice of torture are the malfunctioning of the administration of criminal justice and corruption. Since confessions are still regarded in many countries as the count of evidence, and because politicians wish to be seen as tough of crime, considerable pressure is exerted by them, the media, judges and prosecutors on law enforcement bodies to solve criminal cases by means of extracting confessions that are later used in courts to convict suspects."
Duration: 00:00:42