Received today (Human Rights Day) from Freedom From Torture…

No politician should ever be able to send survivors back to the hands of their torturers. 

But this week Keir Starmer sent Justice Secretary, David Lammy, to meet with European Ministers behind closed doors, far from the public eye, to discuss the “interpretation” of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights – which guarantees protection against torture and inhumane treatment.

This is stoking fears that vital human rights protections could be weakened.

This follows recent comments by Nigel Farage that he’d be willing to work with the Taliban to return people to Afghanistan, where torture is a defining feature of the Taliban’s regime.

If the government takes any steps that chip away at protections against torture, it risks triggering a domino effect around the world.

And even the discussion of this can cause deep anxiety for torture survivors who often already living in fear of being returned to where they were tortured.

It’s shocking to hear that in 2025 any British politician could offer up a proposal that would risk sending survivors back into the hands of torturers. It is more important than ever that the UK Government stands absolutely firm in its commitment to upholding and defending the torture ban.

For centuries Britain led the way in forging the ban, and we won’t let this generation of politicians tear it up.

We urge the Prime Minister to resist doing the dirty work of repressive regimes around and make it clear that the torture ban is not negotiable and that the UK remains a place of safety for survivors.