Over the past three years, the APT has collaborated with partners in Brazil, Madagascar and Thailand to strengthen implementation of detention safeguards during the first hours of custody.
We understand that upholding these safeguards in practice – providing a detainee with information about their rights on arrest, notifying their family about the arrest, ensuring access to a lawyer and presenting them before a judge for a custody hearing – are crucial for preventing torture and ill-treatment.
Through these projects, the APT and our partners were able to identify effective practices to uphold these vital safeguards. It also provided an opportunity for constructive dialogue with detention authorities, government agencies and civil society across the three countries.
To celebrate what was achieved through the projects, the APT has launched a virtual photo exhibition to document these distinctive journeys to prevention:
- Ending the cycle of violence with prompt access to a judge in Brazil
- Safeguards in police custody in Madagascar
- Creativity and resilience in Thailand
The online exhibition features more than 60 photos from Brazil, Madagascar and Thailand, which have been carefully selected to showcase the rich exchanges and experiences from the projects.
“The photos beautifully capture the conversations and the commitment of our partners to strengthen detention safeguards in their countries,” APT Secretary General Barbara Bernath said.
“We hope the virtual exhibition will inspire others to join our efforts to prevent torture, especially through guaranteeing the rights of persons deprived of liberty.”
The exhibition – which will run from 4 March 2021 to 4 March 2022 – enables people to experience the stories from the projects through a 3D tour of the galleries from the comfort and safety of their home and personal space.
The APT’s virtual photo exhibition was made possible thanks to the support of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.
