Children around the world continue to suffer from torture in the form of trafficking, hard labour, military detention, accusations of child witchcraft, child soldiering and cyber-bullying, an MEP said this morning at the European Parliament.
Speaking at the launch of a report into the eradication of torture worldwide, MEP Véronique De Keyser, vice-chair of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats party, called for the EU to address the various types of torture perpetrated around the world, including within Europe.
The report calls for EU member states to pay particular attention to cases of torture under dictatorships in Europe as many of these crimes often go unpunished, stressing the prohibition of torture is absolute under international and humanitarian law.
“The reports we receive from NGOs on torture have not had much of an echo around Europe,” said Ms De Keyser. “This is not a taboo subject, but it’s not something people enjoy talking about.”
Reading from the report, Ms De Keyser highlighted the issue of child torture, particularly the growing problem of online bullying and abuse. As well as the serious crimes of child torture in camps for displaced people, child sexual abuse and child soldiers in war zones, children are increasingly harassed online. “For the vast majority of children the internet is a new battle field,” she said.
The report stresses the need for the EU to address the psychological torture and harassment of children through the internet and social media, adding the EU’s response to the phenomenon of internet bullying up until now has been “inadequate”.
It also raises the issue of gender-based forms of torture where women and girls suffer female genital mutilation and early or forced marriages. “Women are particularly likely to be subjected to specific acts of torture and forms of inhuman or degrading treatment including rape, sexual mutilation, sterilisation, abortion, enforced birth control and deliberate impregnation,” it writes.
The report adds there is a need to regulate trade in goods which could be used for capital punishment and torture. “We need strict regulation of these products within the EU at least,” said Ms De Keyser. “Member states cannot possibly provide implements for torture.”
Ms De Keyser argued the current EU guidelines on torture are insufficient and called for the adoption of a practical guide for the use of EU delegations visiting detention centres in countries outside the EU. She requested that the EU take the necessary “political, diplomatic and financial measures” to prevent the torture of children.
