June 26

June 26 is the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. It commemorates the signing of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment [CAT]. The United States, a signatory of the CAT, defines torture as “an act committed by a person acting under color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering upon another person within his custody or control”. Torture by officials around the world is inflicted on people in the dark recesses of prisons, jails, and secret detention centers where the only onlookers are complicit guards or prisoners in peril. Among torture survivors who have received treatment at specialized rehabilitation treatment centers which participated in a national study, 5.7% experienced asphyxiation and survived. We don’t know how many perished. Indeed within our own Center, we have heard some of our patients talk about how they too cried out for their mothers at those moments of total vulnerability.  Torture is about exerting one’s total power over another, and often arises in authoritative systems worldwide that condone such violence upon another human being. The torture of Mr. George Floyd occurred in broad daylight. This raises questions about the prevalence of torture in the United States, the misuse of power, and the number of unknown victims within this country.

Linda Piwowarczyk, MD, MPH

Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights

Boston

Statement of Solidarity

June 5, 2020

The Boston Center for Refugee Health & Human Rights (BCRHHR) stands in solidarity with those who are raising their voices against systemic racism in this country, those who demand justice for the killing of George Floyd and other unarmed Black men and women, and those who are experiencing anti-blackness whose Black humanity remains unrecognized.  The evil of racism has brought pain and unimaginable levels of suffering and oppression and missed opportunities for people of color.  We recognize it can take the form of implicit bias to outright torture and death.

Our patients know well the experience of torture and oppression by government actors, including the police, for standing up for what is right.  Those specific experiences have led our patients to flee their homelands in search of safety.  The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the right to freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances – all of which is currently being demonstrated from one coast to the other.

Although the motto of police forces is to protect citizens and serve the community, a failure to uphold these duties results in the erosion of trust in the police and innocent people experience countless transgressions.  When discriminatory or racist attitudes filter into other parts of society, the result is systemic violence, health disparities, massive incarceration, hopelessness, and denial of basic human rights.  Against this background is how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected communities of color, especially African-Americans. We stand with torture survivors and communities whose members have been deeply affected by the unlawfulness of authorities. 

The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others are an immense tragedy, and the consequence of white supremacy and the structural racism that is ingrained in the foundation of our institutions, and which continue to plague us today. The brutal and unconscionable torture and murder of George Floyd witnessed by the world is an act of dehumanization and blatant disregard for the life of a Black person.

We hope that we are truly at a tipping point that will usher in a just society for everyone regardless of their race, gender, age, sexual orientation, immigration status, and background. However, we are collectively responsible at individual, community, and institutional levels for identifying and addressing the ease with which our society and its actors (us) engage with and enable anti-blackness. We must seek to right the wrongs. Doing so will require reflection and action by all elements of society.   

Take Action
NAACP      naacp.org
Posse       possefoundation.org
The Bail Project     bailproject.org
Equal Justice Initiative      eji.org

Thank you to those who are responding to our call for Visa cards for clients who are unable to buy food and basic items during this time.  The cards have been sent to clients in the greatest need and we are so thankful for your support!  For anyone else who would like to help our clients by purchasing Visa cards or International Phone cards, please visit our Amazon Wish List:

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