PART B – International standards in the Istanbul Protocol Practical steps to improve implementation of the right to an effective remedy and reparation • Lobby for national legislation to ensure that torture victims have an effective and enforceable right to prompt and adequate reparation • Lobby for national legislation to protect torture victims, their lawyers and witnesses from intimidation and to ensure that allegations of intimidation are effectively investigated • Improve access to domestic remedies for torture victims by improving legal aid and assistance services offered by lawyers • Through appropriate channels, such as lawyers groups and bar associations, urge the judiciary to take into account the seriousness of torture as a human rights violation • Take steps to encourage the award of rehabilitation as a form of reparation, in addition to fair and adequate monetary compensation • Highlight bureaucratic procedures and other obstacles for torture victims and survivors to exercise their right to an effective • • • • • remedy and adequate reparation through the media and other channels Lobby for adequate funding for institutions that offer rehabilitative care for torture victims and affordable access to medical services Support efforts by national human rights commissions, NGOs or other bodies to monitor the effectiveness of domestic remedies and forms of reparations awarded to torture victims through systematic data collation and recording Initiate private prosecutions on behalf of torture victims and seek to increase victims’ empowerment through allowing victims to play a central role in proceedings Utilise regional and international avenues, in particular individual complaints procedures before human rights bodies where available, with a view to obtaining decisions and judgments that oblige States to undertake systemic changes to provide effective remedies and reparation Seek domestic implementation of decisions by regional or international human rights bodies. 45