Survivors’ voices against torture
Torture remains one of the gravest crimes under international law. Yet survivors are still too often overlooked—facing exclusion, disbelief, and delayed access to support.
Last week, UPR Info met with survivors of torture from Mexico and Burundi, who presented the Charter of Rights of Victims and Survivors of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and shared their experiences.
Launched on 3 March 2026 during the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Charter sets out key principles related to truth, accountability, rehabilitation, and participation. While it is not a formal United Nations instrument, it offers a practical framework to guide State action.
The Charter is grounded in a global consultation process convened by the Special Rapporteur in Bogotá, Nairobi, and Kathmandu, and informed by more than 120 written submissions from survivors and survivor-led organisations, as well as contributions from civil society organisations, including World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT).
It reflects a wide range of experiences and perspectives, highlighting the essential role that survivors play in efforts to prevent torture and advance justice and recovery.
Charter of Rights of Victims and Survivors of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishmen/ Special Procedures, OMCT & IRCT
Discussions with survivors explored how the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) can be used to promote the Charter and support its implementation.
The UPR offers a concrete entry point for integrating survivors’ perspectives into international recommendations. States can draw on the Charter’s principles when formulating recommendations, particularly in areas such as prevention, accountability, and reparation. In turn, these recommendations can serve as powerful advocacy tools at the national level, supporting civil society, survivor-led organisations and other actors in preventing and eradicating torture and related ill-treatment.
The Charter further emphasises the right of survivors to participate fully in all efforts addressing torture. This includes engaging directly in the UPR process—for example, by contributing to stakeholder reports ahead of their countries’ reviews and participating in national consultations and in advocacy efforts to raise awareness on their role in framing laws and policies and programmes.
“Our pain has been silenced, denied and forgotten too many times, but through the present Charter we reclaim our truth and our place in the world. We stand together to demand justice, recognition and reparation, not as an act of charity, but as our right,” says the Charter.
The Charter is both a call for recognition and a practical tool. Leveraging mechanisms such as the UPR to promote its principles and translate them into concrete recommendations can help ensure that survivors’ voices are reflected in policies and actions to prevent torture and support those affected.