Occasion of December 10

Khiam Center in the occasion of December 10:The International Day for Human Rights
Workshop about the: Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture's Guarantee for Human Rights
14 December 2007



Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture organized a workshop in the occasion of Dec 10; The International Day for Human Rights
under the title:
“The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture; A Guarantee of Human Rights in Lebanon”
Presenting
Mrs. Esther Schaufelberger
The middle east official for the Association for prevention of torture (APT)


Date: 14 December 2007 at 11 a.m
Place: Cavaliet Hotel (Hamra - Beirut)
http://www.khiamcenter.org/Dec14EuKrcWorkshop.html

Within the framework of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), and as part of the implementation of the Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture for the Medical, Social, & Psychological Assistance for Victims of Torture funded by the European Union (75% of total expenses of the project, equal to 642,000 EUR), the Khiam Center organized a workshop in the occasion of the tenth of December, the International Day of Human Rights, in which is the first in Lebanon entitled:

"Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture's, Guarantee for Human Rights"

The workshop was held at the Hotel Cavalier in Beirut on December 14, 2007 and in the presence of the responsible for the Middle East at the Association for the Prevention of Torture, Mrs. Esther Schaufelberger, the Representative of the Director-General of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces, Colonel Maroun Nasser and experts from international organizations and Lebanese and Palestinian humanitarian and human rights experts.

Schaufelberger saw that there should be a global system to prevent torture all over the world, and pointed out that Lebanon has ratified the Convention against Torture in 2000, but still needs to work on its implementation. The government is supposed to comply and take steps to implement the Convention and was supposed to provide the Government Affairs report one year after the signing But despite the passage of six years, Lebanon did not submit its report to the Committee against Torture. Having provided a detailed explanation on the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture that aims to prevent torture through regular visits to all places of detention by an international body and the national preventive mechanisms. Schaufelberger stressed that the Protocol new type of international treaties entered into force in June 2006 and to this date, it is signed by 34 Member States, no Arab country has signed or ratified the Optional Protocol so far.

Schaufelberger also stressed on the development of the national mechanisms and prevention under the Protocol calling on the government, civil society and national human rights institutions to establish or designate an independent national institution to visit places of detention in the frame of the implementation.

At the end of the workshop and the outcome of the discussion among the participants issued the following recommendations:

  • Asking the Lebanese Parliament to pass the draft law giving permission to the government to accede to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on torture.

  • Invite the Lebanese government to submit its initial report to the Committee against Torture.

  • Visits to places of detention as one of the most effective methods to prevent and improve the conditions of detention.

  • Establish national preventive mechanisms in an open and transparent process involving the government and civil society institutions.

  • Asking the civil society organizations in Lebanon to engage and unify efforts in the process of ratification of the Optional Protocol and the success of its implementation.

  • That visits to places of detention is part of a preventive system, composed of cultural, judicial, administrative, legal and other measures.

  • Active participation of the victims of torture and detention in the national mechanisms.

  • The abolition of secret places of detention.

  • Strengthening the independence of the judiciary and correctional law. 

  • The abolition of military tribunals.

  • Conduct workshops on the Optional Protocol in the Arab countries and to engage in the global campaign for ratification and enforcement.