The Open Society Institute hosts a discussion with Manfred Nowak, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Nowak’s mandate has covered a broad range of human rights concerns, from Guantanamo and rendition to the institutionalization of people with disabilities.
In his five and a half years as Special Rapporteur, Nowak has issued reports on 17 countries, including China, Jamaica, Equatorial Guinea and Kazakhstan. Such reports have detailed not only the use of torture but also the often horrific conditions found in prisons and detention facilities in these countries. Nowak's discussion of his work will be followed by a question and answer period.
Read more
19 Shameful Years
Torture’s Terrible Toll
The horror stories emanating from Guantanamo Bay shock the conscience. It is long past time to close the prison.
Undaunted
Carnage and Triumph: American Democracy on the Spot
Overnight we have watched astonishing scenes as hundreds of thugs incited by a criminal president invaded a country’s legislative chambers and caused mayhem and death in an effort to overturn the result of a democratic election.
Shifting the Narrative
Our Pandemic Response Must Center Racial Justice
Rather than shift the blame onto individuals who are forced to make impossible choices, policymakers should confront the virus through systemic reforms that center racial justice and public health.