News Americas, UNITED NATIONS, NY, Thurs. June 16, 2011: Human rights experts and government officials from 11 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America are backing the eradication of torture.
United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture Juan Méndez said the meeting of more than 40 experts – which is taking place in Santiago, Chile – is the first in a series of such regional conferences that he expects to convene. Attending the meeting are representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, México, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
“Torture and ill-treatment is a major concern in Latin America and the Caribbean region,” said Méndez, “and much remains to be done to ensure that States’ international obligations, national policies and legislative as well as other reforms are effectively implemented to achieve the desired result: torture’s eradication.”
