On the occasion of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) calls on states to uphold their international obligations to prohibit and prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (ill-treatment). The IBAHRI also pays tribute to victims and survivors and recognises the indispensable work of legal professionals and other human rights defenders in the fight against torture and ill-treatment.
IBAHRI Co-Chair, Mark Stephens CBE, commented: 'Today we stand in solidarity with victims and survivors of torture and ill-treatment. The prohibition of torture is absolute in all circumstances; a jus cogens norm from which no derogation is permitted. In an increasingly fragmented world order, the rule of law and respect for human rights must prevail. We commend the commitment of judges, prosecutors and lawyers worldwide who, along with victims and survivors, civil society organisations and other human rights defenders, remain steadfast in opposing, and seeking justice and accountability for, torture and ill-treatment.'
Despite being prohibited under international law, the prevalence of torture and ill-treatment remains widespread worldwide. In her 2024 annual overview of trends and developments to the UN General Assembly, UN Special Rapporteur on torture , Dr Alice Jill Edwards, noted among other issues: the devastating rise in torture in armed conflict; peaceful protests being met with excessive force; severely overcrowded prisons; use of torture to quash dissent; the global trend of repression of human rights defenders; and the heightened risk of severe and gender-specific forms of torture against women and girls.
IBAHRI Co-Chair, Hina Jilani, remarked: 'To uphold the absolute prohibition against torture and ill-treatment, states must, inter alia: criminalise torture and ill-treatment; respect the principle of non-refoulement; investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators; implement the exclusionary rule; systematically review interrogation rules, instructions, methods and practices, as well as arrangements for the custody and treatment of arrested, detained or imprisoned persons; provide adequate remedy and reparation to victims and survivors; and guarantee the independence of the legal profession. Rhetoric is insufficient; concrete action is required to achieve a world free from torture.'
Over the past year, the IBAHRI has worked on a range of initiatives under its torture prevention programme. In May 2025, the Institute partnered with the Malaysian Bar Council' s Human Rights Committee and the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) for a webinar series on the Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information Gathering (the Méndez Principles). The webinar emphasised the role of lawyers as a safeguard against torture, exploring the implementation of the Méndez Principles in national law and practice in Malaysia. In November 2024, the IBAHRI, together with Irish Rule of Law International and Reprieve , co-hosted workshops for Malawian magistrates, legal aid lawyers, and police investigators and prosecutors on legal and procedural safeguards against torture and ill-treatment in detention, as well as a judicial dialogue and public lecture on implementing the Méndez Principles in Malawi.
On 26 June 1987, the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into effect, providing an international blueprint to prevent, punish, and provide justice and redress for torture and ill-treatment. There are currently 175 state parties to the Convention, representing near-universal ratification.
