Anti-torture movement pays tribute to Max de Mesa

Geneva, 30 September 2016 – Max de Mesa, a leadinganti-torture activist in the Philippines and a member of the World OrganisationAgainst Torture’s General Assembly, passed away on Wednesday. OMCT’s SOSTorture network will miss him terribly, as his country faces challenging timesin the protection of human rights.

Max was an inspiration to many of us, agifted individual who shaped the fight against torture and for justice in hiscountry including in OMCT's two member organizations, the Philippine Alliance ofHuman Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and the Task Force Detainees of thePhilippines (TFDP),providing fundamental support to victims of torture.

We will always remember his commitment tofight torture and his solidarity in advocating the release of fellow humanrights defenders, including through a mission we undertook together toBangladesh in 2013.

Max used to speak not only in the name ofhis own country, but of the whole region. He always offered pertinent adviceand his unwavering friendship, and we were looking forward to seeing him againat our upcoming General Assembly meeting and 30th anniversarycelebration on 24–25 November.

Our thoughts go to his family, and also toour friends, partners and colleagues in the Philippines.

Yves Berthelot

OMCT President