Every torture victim is expected to count on indemnification and rehabilitation!

On January 24, 2019 the Government of Tajikistan has adopted National Plan of Actions for 2019-2022 to fulfill recommendations of the United Nations Committee Against Torture. The National Plan consists of 22 paragraphs: investigation of torture cases, punishment for torture, intensification of activity of Human Rights Ombudsman in RT, basic legal guarantees and remedies, access to independent lawyer, inspection of detention places, custodial detention conditions, independent grievance mechanism, indemnification and rehabilitation, etc.

The National Plan envisages around 80 measures aimed at improvement of legislation and law enforcement practices as to prevention of torture. Implementation of the National Plan involves a wide range of state authorities, courts, law-enforcement bodies, Ombudsman institution.

So, Paragraph №17 of the National Plan: “Indemnification and rehabilitation”

This paragraph implies the implementation of the following measures:

·         Review the judicial practice of indemnification for moral harm in favor of victims of torture and cruel, inhuman treatment.

·         Assign the Ministry of Health as a coordinating body for rehabilitation of persons who experienced torture and their family members.

·         Establish a system for provision of integrated rehabilitation treatment to persons, who experienced torture and/or their family members, through the development of a package programme.

·         Educate and train social workers on how to provide social assistance, educate and train psychologists, develop training manuals to work with persons who experienced tortures and their family members.

·         Also, in order to develop uniform requirements for provision of medical assistance and rehabilitation of torture victims, in the Ministry of Health:

- Study the issues of funding rehabilitation programmes and attracting alternative sources of funding, consider a mechanism for allocation of public funds as a backup source to fund rehabilitation programmes for victims of torture and cruel treatment that will be used prior to the entry into force of award of moral, financial and physical damages;

- Consider an issue of including victims of violence (torture, family violence, violence against women, military servicemen) into vulnerable groups, in order to provide safeguards for carrying out medical expert examination and outreach of rehabilitation programmes, paying free medical attention, ensuring the social integration, etc.;

- Train health workers on provision of rehabilitation services to torture victims in accordance with the national regulations and international standards.

This material has been prepared by the International Torture Victims Protection Day that is marked every year on June 26.

Torture is like a dreadful virus, and there is only one vaccine against it – public disclosure.

Activities dedicated to the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture became possible within the framework of the project “Support for anti-torture agenda and human rights groups in Tajikistan”, funded by the European Union.