International Day in Support of Victims of Torture : Odhikar’s national and local level activities

26 June is declared as the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. In light of this, Odhikar, as part of its UN-OPCAT activities, took up a three-day programme from 25 to 27 June 2009. On 25 and 26 June, memorandums were handed over to the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, rallies and meetings were organised at the district level in the Odhikar’s programme areas of Satkhira, Jessore, Kushtia, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Tangail, Munshiganj and Sylhet. On 27 June, as the grand finale Odhikar organised an unprecedented event ‘Tribunal against Torture’ in order to increase public and media awareness about the rapidly degrading situation in Bangladesh with regard to torture. The tribunal was followed by a roundtable discussion, attended by among others, current and former Members of Parliament, journalists, lawyers, academics, politicians from the governing party and the Opposition, etc. This report highlights the activities of the three days and their outcome.