Worldwide Day in assist of victims of Torture: The United Nations Conference in opposition to Torture and Different Merciless, Inhuman or Degrading Remedy or Punishment got here into drive internationally on 26 June 1987, and in 1998 the UN declared the 26 June of yearly to be the Worldwide Day in Assist of Victims of Torture.
Over time I’ve photographed various vigils and protests marking the day in London by varied teams involved with human rights, principally organised by the London Guantánamo Marketing campaign however usually joined by others.
No to Torture Vigil – Trafalgar Sq., London. Tue 26 June 2012
Supporters of the The London Guantánamo Marketing campaign and different human rights activists held up placards saying “NO to torture” in over 30 languages. Different protesters in opposition to varied human rights violations joined within the protest, together with campaigners calling for an finish of the Iranian executions of the Baloch folks, these in opposition to the extraditions of Babar Ahmer, Talha Ahsan and others to the US and the Free Mumia marketing campaign.
Extra on My London Diary at No to Torture Vigil.
Say No To Torture – Trafalgar Sq., London. Wed 26 Jun 2013
The London Guantanamo Marketing campaign which has been lively in calling for the closure of Guantanamo and different prisons together with Bagram in Afghanistan since 2006 once more held a vigil in Trafalgar Sq..
Some carrying orange Guanatanamo-style bounce fits and black hoods, they stood in a lin in entrance of the Nationwide Gallery, calling for the discharge of London resident Shaker Aamer and the opposite detainees held and tortured with out path. Shaker, together with many of the different prisoners was on the 141st day of a starvation strike, being subjected to common beatings, being brutally forcibly fed and held in solitary confinement – which additionally constitues torture underneath the UN definitions.
Amongst these participating within the vigil was veteran peace campaigner Bruce Kent. The ‘Say No To Torture’ protest overlapped with one other human rights protest over Balochistan, a ‘nation with no state.’ Balochs dwell primarily in Pakistan and have been topic to arrests and different human rights violations together with torture by the Pakistan authorities for campaigning for independence.
Extra on My London Diary at Say No To Torture.
Torture Solidarity Vigil – Trafalgar Sq., London. Thu 26 Jun 2014
In 2014, Kashmiris wore black hoods and headbands with messages ‘Mutilated’, ‘Raped’, ‘Tortured’, ‘Executed’ and waved Kashmiri flags to protest on the widespread human rights abuses by the 7,000 custodial killings and torture of prisoners by the Indian state Indian state in Kashmir- 1 in 5 Kashmiris is a torture sufferer.
Additionally in Trafalgar Sq. was a vigil by the The London Guantanamo Marketing campaign with folks holding posters and blindfolded or gagged, calling for the discharge of prisoners from the US jail camp and an finish to impunity for torturers.
The UK has didn’t take correct motion over allegations of prisoner abuse by the British army in Iraq and Afghanistan and has continued to be concerned within the “rendition” and torture of British and international nationals overseas. Our authorities prevents violations turning into public data, counting on secret courts and partial and biased investigations.
Extra on My London Diary at Torture Solidarity Vigil.
UN Day for Victims of Torture – Trafalgar Sq., London. Fri 26 Jun 2015
The London Guantánamo Marketing campaign and others had been again once more in Trafalgar Sq. in a solidarity vigil in recognition of the struggling and rights of victims and survivors of torture, calling on these in positions of energy in a position to put an finish to the usage of torture.
Obama had promised in 2010 to finish the disgrace of Guantanamo, however the detentions and torture continued all through his presidency, although there have been some releases.
Extra on My London Diary at UN Day for Victims of Torture.
Listed here are hyperlinks to additional protests I coated in recent times on 26 June in opposition to torture, in Trafalgar Sq. in 2016, on the US Embassy in 9 Elms in 2018 and by Balochs in Trafalgar Sq. in 2019. In 2017 I had a day without work work for medical assessments, and in 2020 there was no vigil due to the lockdown.
Tags: Afghanistan, Babar Ahmer, Bagram, Balochs, beatings, black hoods, blindforlds, Bruce Kent, executions, force-feeding, Free Mumia, gags, Guantanamo, Iran, bounce fits, Kashmir, Kashmiris, London, London Guantanmo Marketing campaign, NO to torture, Obama, Pakistan, parliament sq., peter Marshall, protest, rape, solitary confinement, Talha Ahsan, torture, Trafalgar Sq., UN Worldwide Day, US Embassy, victims of Torture, vigil
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