Freedom from Torture response to reports of proposals to limit effect of decisions of Strasbourg Court in the UK

Jean-Benoit Louveaux, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Freedom from Torture, said:

"In the midst of a few high profile cases it is being forgotten that the European Convention on Human Rights and the Strasbourg Court are a bulwark of rights in Europe that protect all of us in the UK and strengthen the credibility of European Governments, including the UK, to challenge torture and other human rights violations internationally.

"Freedom from Torture sees the terrible impact of torture on individuals from countries such as Sri Lanka Iran and the DRC. We look to the UK Government as a member of the international community to hold these torturing states to account, and were pleased when the Prime Minister sought to do so recently in Sri Lanka.

"We are concerned to hear that, at a time when the UK Government should be urging these and other governments to respect human rights and abstain from torture, it is suggested the Government should be able cherry-pick which decisions of the European Court to uphold in the UK. Such changes would fundamentally undermine the UK's international credibility on human rights issues, and its ability to challenge torturing states in the future."