INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SUPPORT OF VICTIMS OF TORTURE 26 June, 2014, marks 30 years since adoption of the UN Convention against Torture, and the Secretary General’s statement includes the following: Torture seeks to annihilate the victim’s personality and denies the inherent dignity of the human being. It is a crime under international law and prohibition is binding on every member of the international community. The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment or Punishment aims for total eradication of this “heinous practice”. SCOTT MORRISON’S MIGRATION AMENDMENT (Protection and Other Measures) BILL 2014 is thus impossible to fathom. Under his proposal, applicants for asylum on the basis of fear of torture would need to establish “that there is MORE THAN A 50 PER CENT PROBABILITY that they will be subjected to agony or even death if returned to the country they have fled” (follow the link). The Convention against Torture is intended to prevent refoulment (return of an individual to a country where there is a risk of them being tortured - any risk, not a 50-50 chance). As Tony Wright says, Morrison’s latest tactic is “plain foul”. Joan Beckwith.
Posted on: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 01:15:02 +0000
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