John McCarthy supports Freedom from Torture's 30th Anniversary

John McCarthy, is a journalist, writer and broadcaster. He was held hostage in Lebanon from 1986-1991. He has been a Freedom from Torture patron since 1993.

"It is hard to be hopeful knowing that torture is still so widely practised around the world and that even our own government has colluded with those that routinely use torture.

But with organisations like Freedom from Torture sharing the testimony of torture survivors there is hope, of course, that public opinion here and abroad will demand that international laws are observed and torture is prohibited.

For individual torture survivors, I see real hope for them feeling safe, finding their voice and believing in a future again thanks to the help offered by Freedom from Torture."