World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

🇹🇷 Es Yılmaz, a 28-year-old from Istanbul, is one of the dedicated organisers of Istanbul Pride Week. 🏳️‍🌈 One of her missions is to protect the LGBTQI+ community from the attacks of the Turkish police, who resort to violence and torture in the context of assemblies. Despite these challenges, Es Yılmaz remains committed to her activism, driven by her unwavering hope for a more inclusive future. 🔗 Read her interview: bit.ly/4m6NP31

📣 Global Consultation for Youth Activists OMCT is launching a global consultation to understand the challenges faced by young human rights defenders. To know more: bit.ly/48Wxj0n 🗣️ Take part in this survey which is available English, French and Spanish and share your experiences with us before 13 June 2026: bit.ly/4diApNs #HRDs #GenZ #YouthActivism

🇹🇷 Türkiye faces high risk of torture, according to the #GlobalTortureIndex OMCT’s Global Torture Index reveals the risk of torture across countries and identifies what must change. 📊 Explore the findings and use them to demand accountability and an end to torture and ill-treatment. 🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4wfjwvI @ohdgenelmerkez

🇸🇻 In recent years, civic space in El Salvador has significantly shrunk. Human rights defenders have faced growing threats and criminalisation, forcing many into silence or exile. Zaira Navas, a lawyer and human rights defender at @Cristosal, was forced to flee El Salvador following the detention of her colleague Ruth López, a prominent Salvadoran activist. 🎥 In this interview, she speaks about her experience as a woman human rights defender in exile, and where she continues to find hope in her work: 🔗 bit.ly/4ezWMjM

✊ Nos sumamos a las condenas por la desaparición forzada y la muerte bajo custodia del preso político Víctor Quero. Expresamos nuestra solidaridad con la señora Carmen Teresa Navas y urgimos al Estado venezolano a realizar una investigación exhaustiva que garantice el acceso a la justicia y la rendición de cuentas.

🇮🇷 Iran’s judiciary has ordered an acceleration of executions, bypassing fundamental legal safeguards and due process. This rapid escalation of the death penalty is a grave violation of the absolute prohibition of torture.

Iran executed Erfan Shakourzadeh, a 29-year-old aerospace engineering master’s student, on charges of “intelligence cooperation with Mossad and the CIA.” State media also published what appeared to be forced confessions attributed to him. Read more in HRANA’s report: ow.ly/j0XH50YXqQU

🇹🇷 Since 1995, relatives of over 1,300 people who have been forcibly disappeared in Türkiye have gathered every Saturday in Galatasaray Square in Istanbul to ask where the victims are. Hanife Yildiz joined the Saturday Mothers movement in the hope of one day finding her son Murat. Stand with Hanife and read the story about her son, Murat: 🔗 bit.ly/3PTCd7t

OMCT as part of a coalition of 90+ human rights and humanitarian organisations and trade unions has signed a statement to demand that the EU act on its stated values. ➡️ The call is clear: suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, ban settlement trade, and end arms transfers to Israel, in response to grave violations of international humanitarian law in Palestine and Lebanon. Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council Meeting this 11 May, we call on @vonderleyen and @kajakallas, together with the EU Foreign Affairs Council to act now. Read the full statement - bit.ly/4d34i44 #CIDSE #Coalition #HumanRights #EUPolicy #CivilSociety

🚨 A 13 años de su desaparición, el caso de Alejandro Trinidad Escobedo llega a instancias internacionales El 11 de mayo de 2013, Alejandro fue desaparecido en Tequila, Jalisco. Desde entonces, su madre, Raquel Trinidad Escobedo, ha enfrentado años de omisiones, dilaciones y falta de investigación por parte de autoridades. Su caso ha sido presentado ante el Comité contra la Desaparición Forzada de la ONU, que ya emitió medidas cautelares y exige al Estado mexicano desplegar acciones efectivas para su búsqueda. 📢 Esta acción busca romper el ciclo de impunidad y evidenciar la responsabilidad del Estado frente a graves violaciones de derechos humanos. ✊🏽 Exigimos:
• Búsqueda inmediata y efectiva
• Investigación diligente
• Protección para la familia
• Garantías de no repetición La lucha por Alejandro también es la lucha contra la impunidad en México. 🔗 Consulta el boletín completo: drive.google.com/file/d/1vKkK69… #HastaEncontrarteAlejandro #DesapariciónForzada @omctorg

Torture survivors are rights-holders. So what does justice look like for them? 🇺🇳 The Charter of the Rights of Victims and Survivors was shaped by those who lived it. A clear call for justice, reparation, and change. Swipe to understand why it matters. 📖 🔗 bit.ly/42PaeJk #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium @apt_geneva @FIACAT_org @IRCT @Omega_RF @DrAliceJEdwards @UNHumanRights @UNTreatyBodies @UN_SPExperts @UN_HRC

🇨🇴 Colombia faces a high risk of torture, according to the #GlobalTortureIndex. OMCT’s Global Torture Index brings together data to identify where torture is most likely to occur, who is most at risk, and what must change. 📊 Explore the findings and use the data to demand accountability 🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4tkiBrj #Colombia #HumanRights #EndTorture

🇨🇴 Colombia enfrenta un alto riesgo de tortura, según el #GlobalTortureIndex. El Índice Mundial contra la Tortura de OMCT reúne datos para identificar dónde la tortura es más probable, quiénes están en mayor riesgo y qué debe cambiar. 📊 Explora los hallazgos y úsalos para exigir cambios. 🔗 Leer más: bit.ly/4usYurE

Want the full picture? Our Annual Report is available on our website in English, Spanish, and French. 🔗 bit.ly/41YRO8K

A year fighting torture, in numbers.🌎💯 Swipe through to explore a few key figures reflecting OMCT’s impact in 2025. This work is rooted in shared efforts — and would not have been possible without our #SOSTorture Network members, partners, donors, allies, and friends. 🤝

🏆 As part of the jury of the Martin Ennals Awards (MEA), an honour for human rights defenders, OMCT contributed to the selection of the 2025 Laureate, Ana Paula Gomes de Oliviera, and met her in-person in Geneva to hear more about her personal journey. 🇧🇷 Ana Paula is a Brazilian activist against police violence and systemic racism in Brazil. She is the co-founder of Mães de Manguinhos (Mothers of Manguinhos), a collective of Black women, primarily mothers, who have come together as both, a support network and a movement to combat police violence rooted in racism. In this interaction, she shares more about her activism, the story behind her collective, what gives her hope, and what international recognitions like the MEA mean for her and the collective she represents. 🔗 Read the interview: bit.ly/48ERHTy @martinennals

✊🏻 #FacesOfHope: HRD’s fight for freedom of press and expression is not over, neither is ours. On International Day for Freedom of Press and Expression, we amplify the voices of human rights defenders who are arbitrarily detained for their search for truth, knowledge and accountability. We will not let them be forgotten. Say their names: Mohamed Lamin Haddi (Western Sahara) 🇨🇳 Zhang Zhan (China) 🇳🇪 Moussa Tchangari (Niger) Join our call. Share their stories: bit.ly/4eZs6Zl #InternationalDayforFreedomofPressandExpression #FreeThemNow #HumanRigthsDefenders #WesternSahara #China #Niger #MohamedLaminHaddi #ZhangZhan #MoussaTchangari @eu_eeas

As the mandate of UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders @marylawlorhrds comes to an end, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her unwavering commitment to human rights defenders worldwide. 💪🏾 Her responsiveness, solidarity, and determination have made a tangible difference, including by amplifying the cases documented by the @OBS_defenders, the concrete case of defenders in arbitrary detention documented by #SOSDefenders, and the #FacesOfHope campaign. 🤝 It has been a privilege to work alongside her and her team. Her legacy will continue to inspire and strengthen this global movement. 🔝 🎥 Watch the video. 🔗 Read the full interview on our website: bit.ly/4rJfj0Z

Para la versión en español del Informe Anual, visite: bit.ly/4ecAzbi Pour la version en français du Rapport annuel, veuillez consulter : bit.ly/4vZZyou

What did OMCT achieve in 2025? 🌎💯 In this video, we share a few key figures that help illustrate our impact over the past year — the first year of our 2025–2029 strategy. None of this would have been possible without our #SOSTorture Network members, partners, donors, allies, and friends.🤝 Dive into the full picture: our Annual Report is now available on our website in English, Spanish, and French. 🔗 bit.ly/41YRO8K #EndTorture #2025AnnualReport #UnitedAgainstTorture #OMCT