The Medical Action Group (MAG) will host the Asian Regional Conference on Enhancing the Capacity of Rehabilitation Centers and Civil Society in Accessing Justice for the Victims of Torture on November 22 to 26, 2011 at the Diamond Hotel.

The five-day Asian Regional Conference is being organized by the MAG, in partnership with the European Union (EU) and International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT). This will highlight current initiatives and “good practices” or “successful interventions”, being implemented in the Philippines and several Asian countries to promote right to rehabilitation of victims of torture.

Attending the conference are representatives of several human rights groups and rehabilitation centers in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Tibet.

“When one considers the torture cases of Joselito Binayug, the former police officer who was caught in a cell phone video torturing an alleged robbery suspect inside the Asuncion police precinct, Lenin Salas et al in Pampanga and Khan Ajid Balanting in Basilan, one must be doubtful about the intent of the Anti-Torture Law,” Edeliza P. Hernandez, Executive Director of the MAG.

Hernandez said this regional conference which will tackle the growing challenges on rehabilitation confronting the victims of torture is significant on our part to learn from experiences of other Asian countries in their work in promoting right to rehabilitation of victims of torture.

“Despite the country has the Anti-Torture Law but we have cases and first-hand experiences uncovering its limitation and flaw which undermines the right of the victim to medical care and rehabilitation,” Hernandez added.

The Asian rehab groups press the Governments that effective rehabilitation services and programs are established in their country and are accessible to all victims as their obligation under the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.-end-