Dr Alice Edwards the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, writes in today's @theage about the Australian government's rejection of the wrongful detention Senate Inquiry's recommendation that we appoint a permanent envoy to secure the release of wrongfully detained Australians.
According to Edwards, "states have a duty to prevent hostage-taking as a form of torture. A duty to prevent is not discharged by a [DFAT] committee that convenes case by case, or by envoys appointed after a case has already attracted attention. It requires standing machinery: someone responsible for recognising these cases early, and someone answerable when they stall."
AWADA is firmly behind the call for a permanent envoy, which formed a significant part of our submission to the Inquiry.
https://t.co/ZaDVoeyDi9