Freedom from Torture – Remedying Past Torture and Preventing Future Torture in North Africa

Countries: Libya, Tunisia and Egypt

Contact person: Søs Nissen


Project description:
From December 1 RCT has begun preventing torture and rehabilitating torture victims in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt.

The name of the programme is "Freedom from Torture - Remedying Past Torture and Preventing Future Torture in North Africa" and it is financially supported by The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All three countries are scores high on the scale of political violence and have a long history of systematic torture and inhuman treatment - not only of political opponents, but also of citizens in general.  The programme, which runs for 17 months, therefore consists of both a long term and an acute rehabilitation effort with a special focus on Libya and Tunisia. The work in Egypt will primarily be uncovering the national needs.

Today the knowledge of torture rehabilitation is limited within the three countries. One important first step of RCT will therefore be to educate health personnel within the fields of trauma, counseling, diagnosing, psychopharmacy and psychoeducation. The long term goal is to ensure, that hospitals and civil society organizations in the future will have the capability to rehabilitate torture victims.

The three countries are furthermore characterized by not being founded on the rule of law as we know it from Denmark. In the respect RCT notes, that torture has been placed high on the agenda during the public risings, and that the populations no longer wants to put up with the treatment of the police and security forces. Therefore RCT will focus on reforms of the judiciary.

Tunisia will be the first country in which RCT establishes a national rehabilitation and prevention programme. First step is opening an office manned by a Danish employee. Apart from working in Tunisia, the office will also be involved in local and crosscutting activities in the other two countries.