The Justice for Torture Survivors Program

For 25 years, REDRESS has represented individual victims of torture to obtain justice and reparation for their torture. Many of these clients live in the United Kingdom, and have been tortured abroad, or remain in detention where they continue to be ill-treated. They (or their families) contact us directly for help, through our website, on the phone, or by walking through our door. Many are members of groups who have escaped conflict, and live in exile in their communities.

We obtain justice for torture survivors through client support, community engagement, and legal representation. A legal case can bring about different types of reparation for a survivor of torture. These might include a sense of justice, a judge deciding what happened, compensation for medical treatment, and measures to ensure the torture cannot happen again. If such cases are carefully thought through and properly promoted then they can have an impact way beyond just the one case, and benefit other survivors and communities.

Impact

Our work through the JTS program helps us to make a difference to the lives of a substantial number of particularly disadvantaged people. Litigation has impact in different ways: through specific reparations for the clients, changes in political attitudes, changes in policy and practice, and by galvanizing communities. Our victim-centred approach allows us to focus on the needs of the individual, but ultimately the strength to move a case forward comes from the survivors themselves, and the support they receive from their families and their communities, as well as from REDRESS. As one survivor noted following a positive verdict in his case:

The JTS program brings benefits to the individuals and communities concerned, both directly and indirectly. It also advances the rule of law and the fight against torture worldwide. We maintain close relationships with former detainees and their families and can see in our work that the opportunity to share their stories and experiences together can be both mutually empowering and profoundly moving. We have seen that progress in one case can positively affect our ability to engage in another.