To belong to the SOS-Torture Network, an organisation must meet the following strict conditions:
Be a non-governmental organisation or network or coalition of associations;
Have as their main or subsidiary objective the fight against torture as defined in art. 2 of the OMCT statutes, and/or other statutory purposes such as the fight against extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions or the support for human rights defenders;
Subscribe to the aims and values of the OMCT and its Network, such as the universality of human rights and non-discrimination;
Be independent from governments, information services or political parties;
Use exclusively peaceful means for achieving its objectives and not resort to violence;
Torture thrives in darkness. This is why it is most frequent in places of detention, such as police stations, jails, and prisons, which are out of sight for most of society.
Over 10 million people around the world live behind bars, including in pre-trial detention. Many more are locked in psychiatric institutions, military detention and closed refugee camps, which can also be places where torture or ill-treatment festers.
Places of detention are characterized by an imbalance of power between authorities and inmates, which can lead to absolute arbitrariness.
Some of the drivers of torture include forcing confessions to artificially solve cases and boost careers, extorting bribes from the prisoners and/or their families, or the crude spreading of fear to entrench power.
OMCT works with 200 member organisations to end torture and ill-treatment, assist victims, and protect human rights defenders at risk wherever they are.