Annual Report 2024
05

Police Violence

Protests around the world continued to be repressed at brutal levels, from the United States to Bangladesh.

Stronger Safeguards in Protests

To put an end to police brutality, including torture during crackdowns on peaceful demonstrators, a new report by the Special Rapporteur on torture, called for the need to ban “torture tools”.

In March 2024, the Model Protocol for Law Enforcement Officials to Promote and Protect Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests was presented at the UN Human Rights Council. Guided by a human rights-based approach, the new Protocol orients law enforcement to facilitate protests without resorting to excessive use of force. OMCT and partners successfully advocated for a recognition, in the Protocol, of the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment in protests, even when a protest is considered to be no longer peaceful.

On 8 March 2024, the United Against Torture Consortium (UATC) organised a side event during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council. The event was a unique occasion to present the new developments to a large audience, with the participation of the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, alongside civil society representatives from Colombia and Egypt.

Kenya

In Kenya, OMCT and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), documented the surge in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings amid protests against proposed tax hikes. OMCT supported direct assistance for human rights defenders abducted and tortured during the protests. Both organisations called on Kenyan authorities to uphold international human rights standards, cease the excessive use of force, and ensure accountability.

Georgia

In April 2024, Georgia faced a severe human rights crisis marked by widespread police brutality during protests against the "Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence", and attacks on human rights defenders and civil society organisations (CSO). The situation worsened after 28 November 2024, when authorities suspended the EU accession process. OMCT supported Georgian members in denouncing the systematic and indiscriminate violence against protesters and the following targeted crackdown on activists and opinion leaders. In December 2024, OMCT, IRCT and IFEG, supported by international and Georgian partners, conducted a fact-finding mission concluding that the recurring violations and impunity suggested a systematic policy of repression.

Bangladesh

In 2024, OMCT and the UATC worked closely with Bangladeshi partners to document and denounce widespread human rights violations amid the country’s January election. In July and August, mass student-led protests against the quota system erupted, leading to an unprecedented crackdown. Security forces, including the notorious Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), engaged in unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture. The crackdown ultimately led to the Prime Minister’s resignation. With the interim government now in place, OMCT and UATC continue to support Bangladeshi human rights defenders in demanding accountability.

Ending the Cycle of Violence

For the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the UATC organised a webinar on “Ending the cycle of violence and torture against protesters” on 2 July 2024. The event, moderated by BBC Correspondent in Geneva Imogen Foulkes, brought together survivors, activists, experts, and representatives of civil society organisations to shed light on the challenges and abuses observed in the context of the repression of protests and concrete actions needed to move forward.