Custodial punishment: ‘Respect rights of detainees to prevent society’s degradation’
Speakers say govt insincere in criminalising torture.
HARIPUR:
To ensure torture-free investigation is no easy feat for police personnel. Some of the factors that impede the process are lack of modern scientific tools, unfavourable pay scales and long duty hours. However, internationally-guaranteed legal rights of detainees have to be respected for protecting society from further moral degradation.
This was the crux of a sensitisation session titled “Role of police in protection of human rights of detainee” held here on Tuesday.
While referring to the provisions of the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), the speakers stated that the convention prohibits cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of detainees even if a country was in state of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency which may serve as justification of torture.
“Any statement established as a result of torture shall not be invoked as evidence in any proceeding, except as evidence against a person accused of torture,” said a speaker. He added that torture victims are entitled to complete medical and social rehabilitation under the provisions of UNCAT.
The speakers observed that even though Pakistan ratified UNCAT last year, it is yet to criminalised torture, which is one of the key requirements of the international convention. They accused the government of implying delaying tactics, dubbing it “insincere” in bringing about legislation against custodial abuses, which are rampant with third degree methods in detention centres across the country.
Speaking about the impacts of torture, the resource persons said that it has not only failed to control crime rate, it has devastating impacts on the society such as increased ratio of domestic violence and economic inactivity which contributes towards poverty.
They said that according to international research on the impacts of torture, it is both the cause and effect of poverty in a society.
They stressed on the need of legislation against torture, applying scientific techniques for investigation and establishing forensic laboratories and independent human rights bodies at the district level.
The session was organised by Human Development Organisation (HDO). Tahir Masood Alvi, a human rights lawyer and HDO Programme Officer Adeel Ahmed, were prominent among the speakers.
Tehsinullah presented the activities report of HDO that it has been carrying out in Hazara Division for prevention and rehabilitation of torture survivors. Police personnel also listed problems they were facing in trying to ensure torture-free investigation.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2012.
To ensure torture-free investigation is no easy feat for police personnel. Some of the factors that impede the process are lack of modern scientific tools, unfavourable pay scales and long duty hours. However, internationally-guaranteed legal rights of detainees have to be respected for protecting society from further moral degradation.
This was the crux of a sensitisation session titled “Role of police in protection of human rights of detainee” held here on Tuesday.
While referring to the provisions of the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), the speakers stated that the convention prohibits cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of detainees even if a country was in state of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency which may serve as justification of torture.
“Any statement established as a result of torture shall not be invoked as evidence in any proceeding, except as evidence against a person accused of torture,” said a speaker. He added that torture victims are entitled to complete medical and social rehabilitation under the provisions of UNCAT.
The speakers observed that even though Pakistan ratified UNCAT last year, it is yet to criminalised torture, which is one of the key requirements of the international convention. They accused the government of implying delaying tactics, dubbing it “insincere” in bringing about legislation against custodial abuses, which are rampant with third degree methods in detention centres across the country.
Speaking about the impacts of torture, the resource persons said that it has not only failed to control crime rate, it has devastating impacts on the society such as increased ratio of domestic violence and economic inactivity which contributes towards poverty.
They said that according to international research on the impacts of torture, it is both the cause and effect of poverty in a society.
They stressed on the need of legislation against torture, applying scientific techniques for investigation and establishing forensic laboratories and independent human rights bodies at the district level.
The session was organised by Human Development Organisation (HDO). Tahir Masood Alvi, a human rights lawyer and HDO Programme Officer Adeel Ahmed, were prominent among the speakers.
Tehsinullah presented the activities report of HDO that it has been carrying out in Hazara Division for prevention and rehabilitation of torture survivors. Police personnel also listed problems they were facing in trying to ensure torture-free investigation.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2012.