UNITED NATIONS – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Saturday urged Member States to honor their obligations under international anti-torture laws and statutes, saying torture cannot be justified in any situation whatsoever.

The Secretary-General said that while torture is a crime under international law, it is still practiced and tolerated by many States, and that victims continue to suffer. “Torture cannot be justified under any circumstances whatsoever, whether during a state of war or in response to terrorism, political instability, or any other public emergency.”

The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was recognized by the Secretary-General, saying that it is an occasion to underscore the internationally-recognized collective right of all men and women to not undergo torture.

He urged that all States to ratify the obligations under the Convention against Torture and the provisions of its operational protocol. He also insisted that all States invite the Special Rapporteur on Torture to visit their detention facilities with full and unhindered access to both the facilities and the prisoners.

Additionally, he said that only two additional ratifications are needed for entry into the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The Convention will reinforce the international framework to continue to prevent torture on an international scale.

“On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, I call on States and people to do their utmost to rid the world of this cruel, degrading and illegal practice.”