The London Guantánamo Campaign invites
you to join us at
The
Borders of Torture
26
June Solidarity Vigil for International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
On:
Sunday 26 June 2016
At: 2-4pm
outside
the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square
The world is currently in the
grip of a refugee crisis. Though many European states have contributed
to creating the very contexts refugees are fleeing, they continue to ignore the
plight of desperate individuals and families who seek refuge in their midst. Of
those seeking refuge in Europe, a large proportion are survivors of torture in
their home countries [1]. In addition, the journey to safety is often
tortuous and can involve different forms of torture, violence and inhumane
treatment. Large numbers are now being turned away at the borders of Europe and
sent back to war and persecution at home. For many who enter, conditions in
immigration detention centres [2] are often tantamount to inhumane and
degrading treatment.
26 June each year marks UN
international day in support of victims of torture. We
invite you to join us in solidarity with victims of torture worldwide and to
call on governments to do more to support them. This includes ending the
violence of our borders, and providing refuge where necessary. It also requires
ensuring refugees are given adequate access to rehabilitation facilities
wherever they are to help heal some of the physical and mental scars resulting
from the various forms of torture to which they have been subjected.
Why is the London
Guantánamo Campaign organising this event?
Since 2010, the London
Guantánamo Campaign has marked this date with a public vigil in solidarity with
ALL victims and survivors of torture worldwide. A large number of the
remaining prisoners at Guantánamo are in a similar situation to the refugees
arriving at Europe’s borders. All are survivors of or are currently subject
to torture, and many cannot return home due to war and unrest, lacking a safe
third country to which they can be sent. The largest group affected by this
situation are the 20+ Yemenis cleared for release but who cannot be sent home.
Several of the Yemenis recently accepted by third countries had been free to
leave for over 10 years but had nowhere safe to go.
The London Guantánamo Campaign
believes that all torture victims have a right to redress and rehabilitation
and must be given adequate means to obtain these.
For
more details: e-mail london.gtmo@gmail.com
or call Aisha on 07809 757 176
[1] 30.6% of the 3,097,065
Asylum seekers who have entered the EU between 2002 & 2012 (Eurostat
figures) http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-is-new/public-consultation/2013/pdf/0027/organisations/intrehabilitationcounciltorturevictims-on-asylum-migration_en.pdf
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