CONTINUED USE OF TORTURE WORLDWIDE

That this House notes with grave concern that, despite a global ban on torture, torture has been reported in 141 countries since 2009; is dismayed that governments continue to carry out this barbaric practice while continuously denying it; wishes to raise greater awareness of the International Day in support of victims of torture on 26 June 2014 and the Stop Torture campaign led by Amnesty International to protect individuals from the risk of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment carried out by state officials, particularly in the focus countries of Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines and Uzbekistan; calls for all governments to have effective safeguards against torture, to respect the absolute prohibition against torture and to bring to justice all those responsible for acts of torture; recognises the contribution made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) through its Strategy for the Prevention of Torture work which focuses on preventing torture globally; urges the FCO to ensure that the strategy is applied consistently and that its staff are adequately trained; and further calls on the Government to ensure accountability for any alleged UK involvement in torture.