“ Without the proper evidence or documentation, it becomes extremely difficult or impossible really to successfully ensure justice in a case alleging torture. Forensic documentation written in the correct way becomes an invaluable tool in the successful prosecution of these cases. — Rusudan Beriashvili, State Medical University, Georgia For every single right the victim has — from being free from torture in the first place, to the rights after having survived torture, and even for the families of those torture victims who do not survive — documentation and evidence is just a very fundamental prerequisite, and unfortunately one that is not used as frequently or as effectively as it should. — Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture the common name for The Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. In 2009, the IRCT Secretariat, in collaboration with the Forensic Department of the University of Copenhagen, set up an international focal point for forensic expertise. More than 30 eminent forensic experts from 18 countries have to-date joined the group, who provide support in examining torture victims in cases at the international, regional or national level to establish best practice examples. 2 International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims Through this International Forensic Experts Group (IFEG), the IRCT has to-date provided support to more than 70 forensic examinations in torture investigations cases. Hundreds of lawyers, doctors and immigration officials, among others, have received training in the use of the Istanbul Protocol to produce medico-legal documentation of torture for use in judicial and administrative systems. All of this work helps ensure that torture survivors gain access to appropriate medical documentation.