International Day Against Torture

On 12 December 1997, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, with a view to the total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

We are asking every house of worship to mobilize against torture on June 26th, the International Day Against Torture/For Torture Survivors Day. General ideas for this day include the following.

– Organize a Vigil, March, or Advocacy event
– Pray, meditate, and explore the issue of torture and what can be done to prevent it
– Upload your event to any social media network and use the Twitter hashtag : #IBJUSTICENOTTORTURE.

For additional materials and ideas for potential activities, please contact us at internationalbridges@ibj.org.

Geneva Interfaith Vigil

Interfaith and Peace Vigils for access to justice and an end to the use of torture in police investigation, have been organised both virtually and physically around the world, including at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.

Images from the Interfaith Peace Vigil Photo Campaign on The International Day to Support Victims of Torture

  • Empire State Building in New York City USA
  • Former IBJ Staff David Zhou in Toronto, Canada
  • Former IBJ staff Jamila Justine Willis at Times Square, New York City USA
  • IBJ Board Member Mia Yamamoto with local organizers in Santa Monica, California USA
  • IBJ Cambodia staff at an interfaith peace vigil in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
  • Unitarian Universalists, Geneva, Switzerland
  • IBJ India Fellow, Ajay Verma and IBJ staff member Courtney Skiles in New Delhi, India
  •  Judge Mahfuza Folad with judges, police, community members and youth in Kabul, Afghanistan
  • IBJ JusticeMakers Fellow, Patrick Dunkwu in Lagos, Nigeria
  • IBJ Zimbabwe Fellow Innocent Maja at the Interfaith Peace Vigil held in Harare on June 26th
  • India Peace Centre in Maharashtra, India
  • John Bosco Bugingo, IBJ Rwanda Fellow in Kigali
  • Marlon Zakeyo, Former IBJ Africa Program Officer, Johannesburg Area, South Africa
  • Members of Justice Centre Hong Kong organizing a vigil in solidarity with IBJ
  • Red Square, Moscow, Russia
  • Rev. Joanna Crawford, USA
  • Rev. Eric Posa,
    USA
  • Rev. Patrice Curtis,
    USA
  • Staff of Human Rights and Development Foundation of Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand
  • Swami Agnivesh of India at the Inter-Faith Vigil at Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi, India
  • Youth Scholar Daniel Fung Jr. holding a vigil at his home with family and friends in Hong Kong
  • Youth Scholar Ethan Swift in front of the Merlion statue in Singapore
  • IBJ China Staff at their office in Bejing