UK Calls for Global Action Against Torture and Religious Persecution in Detention Centers
Geneva, March 4 – The United Kingdom has urged the international community to take immediate action against torture and protect freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in detention centers. This call follows alarming findings from the UN Special Rapporteur on FoRB, who reported systemic violations in countries such as Myanmar and Sudan, as well as concerns raised in her Hungary country visit report.
During the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), David Smith, MP and the UK’s Special Envoy for FoRB, reaffirmed the UK government’s commitment to defending religious freedoms. He referenced the Rapporteur’s recent report, which highlighted distressing cases of detainees in Myanmar suffering psychological torture and coercion aimed at erasing their religious identities. In Sudan, non-Muslims reportedly faced similar oppression, including exclusion from jobs, food aid, and education, as part of efforts to impose religious conformity.
“The UK unreservedly condemns the use of torture in all its forms,” Smith declared in his official statement, emphasizing that ending impunity for such abuses is essential to maintaining security, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights. “Preventing torture and ensuring accountability are not optional—they are moral and legal imperatives.”
Smith also pressed the Special Rapporteur for guidance on how states can more effectively investigate torture allegations and ensure the protection of religious freedoms within detention facilities. His remarks underscored growing international concern over the use of state power to suppress religious expression, particularly in conflict zones and authoritarian regimes.
The UK’s stance is part of a broader diplomatic effort to prioritize FoRB as a global policy focus, supported by Smith’s role as special envoy. The UK’s intervention also reflects mounting pressure on the UNHRC to address worsening religious persecution, particularly in Myanmar, which remains under military control, and Sudan, where political instability has exacerbated human rights violations.
While human rights organizations welcomed the UK’s statement, they called for concrete follow-up actions, such as targeted sanctions against perpetrators and increased support for grassroots advocacy. “Words must translate into action,” said a Geneva-based human rights advocate. “Victims of torture and religious discrimination deserve more than rhetoric—they need justice.”
In addition to his remarks during the UNHRC session, Smith held meetings with representatives from other nations and engaged with the Bureau of the UN Geneva NGO Committee on FoRB to explore potential collaborations in addressing religious persecution.
The UNHRC session, which continues through March 2025, will further examine systemic human rights violations, with FoRB remaining a key issue amid growing global tensions over religious identity and state sovereignty.
As discussions progress, Smith’s intervention served as a strong reminder of the urgent need for international cooperation to protect vulnerable communities and hold human rights violators accountable. “The right to believe—or not to believe—is universal,” he concluded. “It is our collective duty to defend it.”
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