Challenging Torture in India

Torture remains a widespread and deeply entrenched practice across India. Despite legal safeguards and institutional mandates, torture continues to be used not only as a tool of investigation, but also as a form of punishment, intimidation, and social control, disproportionately targeting marginalised communities.

This event brings together survivors, legal experts, and former members of the judiciary to examine the systemic nature of torture in India and the alarming failures of accountability mechanisms. Through survivor testimonies and expert insights, the session will explore how impunity persists, what gaps in judicial oversight allow it to flourish, and how both domestic and international strategies must evolve to confront it.

The sessions will move from exposing the prevalence and patterns of torture, to unpacking the role of judicial actors, and finally, to rethinking civil society’s approach — including whether a legal reform agenda is enough, and how India’s human rights community can engage more effectively at both national and international levels.

Structure:

Torture in India 

Lay out the big picture of the state of torture in India - that it is pervasive, it is used by the State in all settings from everyday policing to security, and its purposes range from investigative extraction/coercion to a means of control/punishment. Also, to bring to light that certain communities are targeted and police practices perpetuate this, and while police/security forces are perpetrators, due to the failures of mandated accountability mechanisms like the judiciary and NHRC, they are also complicit which all the more makes torture systemic.

Panel of victims

To be confirmed

Failures of accountability

Role and failings of the judiciary, one focusing on the judicial magistrate’s role, one critically and broadly reflecting on the role of constitutional courts on torture, and the third a retired judge, to speak as they would want towards torture prevention.

What India needs to challenge torture

• Domestically there needs to be consistent and intense advocacy with members of Parliament on torture prevention - what is needed legally, what is needed otherwise, what is the make-up of an effective torture prevention law (rehabilitation etc.).
• Indian civil society needs the support, partnership, and voice of international groups to maintain a consistent anti-torture campaign for India, not just the sporadic treatment the issue gets at present.
• Engagement with UN Mechanism as frequently and effectively as possible.

Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Tamil, Odia
The vernacular languages will be interpreted into English