REDRESS, a human rights organisation that helps torture survivors obtain justice and reparation, and works with survivors to help restore their dignity and to make torturers accountable. REDRESS recently won the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.
REDRESS in association with the Asian Human Rights Commission has issued a call for applications to participate in a regional expert meeting which forms part of the action “Reparation for Torture: Global Sharing of Expertise” supported by the EU European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. The meeting will be held in Hong Kong on 23-25 September 2011.
Objective
The meeting aims to bring together a series of experts with experience in assisting torture survivors in the countries of the region to identify systemic challenges and best practices. It will provide an opportunity to exchange information and experiences of use in litigating torture cases and advocating legal and institutional reforms. The meeting forms part of a series of regional events that seek to strengthen the collaboration of practitioners to more effectively combat torture. The contributions made before and during the meetings will be reflected in regional and global reports on the law and practice relating to the prohibition of torture to be published in several languages.
This call is open to practising lawyers and civil society experts in the countries of the region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, PDRK, the Philippines, Rep. of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam.
Eligibility
A total number of 18 participants will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
– proven track-record of bringing human rights cases and experience in representing torture survivors before domestic courts and/or other fora;
– demonstrated interest in and/or knowledge of human rights law and its application in different contexts;
– interest in sharing experience and learning more about the situation in other countries of the region, as well as international standards in the field.
Additional Criteria:
– wide range of relevant experience, including different types of cases, concerning various aspects of the prohibition of torture;
– at least two years of experience in litigation;
– shown interest of engagement with international mechanisms and international projects;
– academic record (published articles in peer-reviewed journals, books in English or other international languages).
Participants are expected to present a case study on the basis of a pending or recently concluded case from their own practice. Before the meeting, participants will be asked to provide responses to a detailed questionnaire on the law and practice on torture in their countries, which will be discussed during the meeting and reflected in the regional and global reports.
The organisers will cover travel and accommodation expenses of the participants.
Deadline for submitting the application is July 10, 2011
For further information and details, please visit this link.
