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NEWS RELEASES

June 26, 2003 (9:10 a.m. EDT) No. 93

CANADA COMMEMORATES UN INTERNATIONAL DAY

IN SUPPORT OF VICTIMS OF TORTURE

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham today reaffirmed Canada's support for the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Each year, on June 26, the date in 1987 that the UN Convention against Torture entered into force, thousands of people worldwide speak out against torture.

"There can never be any justification for torture," said Minister Graham. "We are working to strengthen both international law and monitoring capacities in order to prevent and punish acts of torture wherever they occur."

One of the first countries to ratify the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Canada encourages unsigned states to become parties to the Convention. Last year, Canada also voted in favour of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

The Optional Protocol will establish a framework for independent international and national organizations to prevent torture by conducting visits to places of detention. Once the framework is in place, an invitation will be made to these organizations to visit Canada.

In order to prevent torture in places of detention, Canada also has national and provincial mechanisms in place, such as human rights commissions, correctional investigators, police oversight agencies and ombudspersons.

For more information on Canada's contribution to the elimination of torture worldwide, visit: http://www.humansecurity.gc.ca

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