Our goal is to become a hub of global information on the rehabilitation of torture victims and prevention of torture. We have published a growing number of reports, documents, handbooks, and guides, which can be found here.
Here you can find our annual audit reports from 2018 to 2020.
2020 Audit Report
2019 Audit Report
2018 Audit Report
The IRCT has produced and published several country reports that highlight the current situation in a number of countries including challenges in preventing torture and implementing the right to rehabilitation.
We produce and publish a number of reports that do not fall under a specific category, but are of great importance to our movement.
2016
Establishing and Operating Rehabilitation Centres for Victims of Torture and Organised Violence in a Libyan Context
2015
The Great Lakes Report: Providing holistic and community-based rehabilitation to victims of torture in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda
2015
Projet Grands Lacs Fournir une réhabilitation holistique et à base communautaire aux victimes de torture au Burundi, en République Démocratique du Congo et au Rwanda
2013
Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors - A Resource Kit for Service Providers
The Protest Toolkit
The Protest Toolkit provides guidance on how to collect evidence of torture and ill-treatment during protest
The tools have been developed by leading forensic experts at the IRCT, the Independent Forensic Expert Group (IFEG), and the Human Rights Centre at the University of California, Berkeley based on their extensive experience in the field of torture investigation and documentation.
In two key parts (accessible below), the Toolkit contains:
- An Illustrated Guide for collecting evidence of torture and ill-treatment during protest & detention; and
- Documentation Forms for documenting and reporting torture and other human rights violations during protest.
Who can use the Toolkit?
These tools are intended for use by protesters, activists and civil society organisations.
They are easy to use – written in clear, common language, with helpful explanations and, in the Illustrated Guide, eye-catching images. They distill key documentation principles to be followed in the evidence collection process, helping users to build a strong evidence base facilitating impactful advocacy.
To date, we have been able to make this resource available in 6 languages:.
These tools are free to use and should be shared freely amongst all protesters, activists and civil society organisations.
Illustrated Guide for Collecting Evidence of Torture & Ill-Treatment During Protest & Detention
In four parts, our illustrated guide supports individuals, activists and civil society organisations to effectively:
- Use photos and video to document acts of police brutality;
- Collect and preserve physical evidence;
- Describe your story and injuries in detail; and
- Take photos of your injuries that can serve as forensic evidence
Designed for easy use and sharing amongst protesters, activists and civil society organisations, the Illustrated Guide can be accessed via our Instagram account @protesttoolkit:
OR download a PDF file in one of 6 languages, which can then be easily shared over WhatsApp, Signal and other phone-based messaging services:
Documentation Forms
This set of Documentation Forms is intended to assist you in documenting and reporting your experience of torture or ill-treatment, or that of someone you know, and any evidence of physical harm.
Specifically, this tool will help you to:
- Explain in detail what happened to you in protest, arrest or detention;
- Respond to the key questions forming part of the evidence collection;
- Accurately describe the injuries that you suffered; and
- Record any visible injuries resulting from this experience, using photographs and professional body diagrams.
Now available in 6 languages, the Documentation Forms can be accessed here:
The IRCT has produced and published several thematic reports that highlight specific areas of importance and concern within the anti-torture and rehabilitation movement.
2016
Falling Through the Cracks: Asylum Procedures and Reception Conditions for Torture Victims in the European Union
2014
In pursuit of justice: The importance of psychosocial support for torture victims participating in legal proceedings
2013
Introducción a la colaboración con los mecanismos de derechos humanos de la ONU
2013
Recognising Victims of Torture in National Asylum Procedures: A comparative overview of early identification of victims and their access to medico-legal reports in asylum-receiving countries
2013
Engaging with European Union foreign policy on the ground: An IRCT guide
2013
Cooperación con la política de asuntos exteriores de la Unión Europea sobre el terreno
2013
Engaging with European Union foreign policy on the ground: An IRCT guide - RUSSIAN
2013
Engaging with State reviews in the UN Committee Against Torture: A practical guide
2013
Getting the evidence: Countering torture through medico-legal documentation
2013
Introduction au partenariat avec les mécanismes onusiens chargés des droits de l’homme
2012
Working with the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture: A practical guide for NGOs engaging with the process of SPT country visits
2012
Cómo trabajar con el Subcomité para la Prevención de la Tortura de la ONU
2012
Travailler avec le Sous-comité des NU pour la Prévention de la Torture
2012
Para missões periciais forenses realizadas por equipas médicas na investigação e documentação de casos de alegada tortura
2012
Forensic Examination Missions by Medical Teams Investigating and Documenting Alleged Cases of Torture: Operational Manual
2011
Pour la conduite des missions d’examens médico-légaux effectués par des équipes médicales enquêtant et documentant sur des allégations de torture
2011
Para misiones de examen forense realizadas por equipos médicos en la investigación y documentación de casos de presunta tortura
2009
Shedding light on a dark practice Using the Istanbul Protocol to document torture
The Global Report on the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture provides information about the activities that take place worldwide in connection with 26 June. You can read the most recent editions on ISSUU or download in PDF format.
For the latest issues in digital format, please refer below or to our dedicated website here.
The Torture Journal is an international scientific journal that provides an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of original research and systematic reviews by professionals concerned with the biomedical, psychological and social interface of torture and the rehabilitation of its survivors.
