There is a harsh system of conscription which sees every Eritrean serve for an indefinite period often lasting around 10 years. There is no legislature, no non-governmental organisations or media outlets or even a judiciary. Using data from those reports, we can see worrying trends of torture in certain countries across the world.įor decades, President Isaias Afewerki has led Eritrea with an iron fist. Our specialist doctors use medico-legal reports to provide independent evidence of torture to people seeking asylum in the UK. Our data shows torture is still rife in many countries. Where is torture happening?Īt Freedom from Torture, we support people who seek refuge in the UK having fled torture all over the world. Physical and psychological torture techniques include beatings, electrocution and sexual torture including rape, as well as sleep deprivation, threat to family members, and mock executions.
Often political activity is low level, such as handing out leaflets or wearing a t-shirt, or being accused of associating with an opposition group. Chief amongst them are political activity, belonging to an ethnic or religious minority, or being LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer). There are various reasons people may be targeted. By ratifying the Convention, a state accepts that torture is always absolutely prohibited and never justified.ĭespite this, the use of torture is still widespread and many governments, as well as dissident groups that control territory (such as the Taliban in Afghanistan), continue to oppress and persecute citizens to this day.