ASF Demands Enforcement of Anti- Torture Law

As the world marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, International body championing human rights, Avocats Sans Frontières France /Lawyers Without Borders France (ASF France), has called on the Nigerian government to Expedite the gazetting and enforcement of the International Rules and Regulations for the Anti-Torture Act without delay.

It says Gazetting the IRR must be followed immediately with training for law enforcement, funding for rehabilitation, and visible prosecutions, as Survivors cannot wait any longer for justice.

In a statement released on Friday in Abuja by ASF France, Nigeria’s Director, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, she also called on Nigerian authorities to ensure independent investigations and prosecutions of alleged perpetrators of torture.

Thirdly, she asked the government to Establish and fund accessible medical, psychosocial, and legal support for survivors.

The Country Director added that Since 2009, ASF France has worked to end torture in Nigeria through legal aid before Nigerian courts and regional mechanisms, as well as through documentation, advocacy, and survivor support.

She said, the organization has supported more than 1,000 torture victims across the country to date.

Despite the progress made, ASF France expressed regrets that the Anti-Torture Act 2017 remains largely unimplemented more than eight years after it was signed into law.

“The absence of enforcement continues to deny survivors the protection, compensation, and rehabilitation the Act guarantees.”

ASF France also welcomes the latest update from the Federal Ministry of Justice that the Implementing Rules and Regulations [IRR] for the Anti-Torture Act is at the gazetting stage, and that it hopes this marks the beginning of full implementation.

“Without operational rules, investigations, prosecutions, and victim support mechanisms cannot function as intended.;
“Perpetrators of torture must be held accountable if Nigeria is to break the cycle of impunity.”

As part of its overall mandate to defend human rights violations in Nigeria and ensure access to justice, ASF France also implements the eRIGHTS programmes to ensure rights of Nigerians are upheld in the online space.