VZCZCXRO5379
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHSM #0492 2171335
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051335Z AUG 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4604
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000492 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL/MLGA KRISTEN MCGEENY, EUR/WE, EUR/PGI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM EUN SW
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR TORTURE VICTIMS AND EU ANTI-TORTURE 
POLICIES IN THE STOCKHOLM PROGRAMME 
 
REF: STATE 70129 
 
¶1.  This is Embassy Stockholm's response to reftel demarche. 
 
¶2.  Summary: Sweden has a long-standing commitment to support 
and provide treatment to torture victims.  As current 
President of the EU, Sweden also plays a strategic role in 
developing a common EU policy on human rights and torture 
through the proposed Stockholm Programme, the third in a 
series of five-year plans setting the agenda for Justice and 
Home Affairs and security policy in Europe.  In response to 
early EU Parliament and Council discussions on the Stockholm 
Programme, Amnesty International has offered critique and 
specific recommendations for strengthening the EU policies on 
torture and counter-terrorism.  End Summary. 
 
¶3.  Swedish foreign policy on human rights emphasizes that 
"torture can never be accepted."  Sweden is a signatory to 
the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or 
Degrading Treatment or Punishment as well as other EU 
security instruments condemning the use of torture.  Swedish 
policies further establish that Sweden will support victims 
of torture and will give aid to organizations that work 
against torture. 
 
¶4.  In Sweden, an estimated one third of the individuals 
granted asylum have experienced trauma due to war and 
torture.  Many victims come from countries in the Middle East 
and Africa.  For nearly twenty years, the Red Cross Center 
for Tortured Refugees has operated five centers throughout 
Sweden to rehabilitate individuals in need.  In 2008, there 
were 414 patients, the majority of whom were male.  Treatment 
is given free of charge and contact with the patient starts 
with preliminary assessment meetings, often with an 
interpreter.  The target is to restore the patient's 
self-esteem and dignity and to offer the victim of torture an 
opportunity to live a normal life. 
 
¶5.  As President of the EU in the second half of 2009, Sweden 
plays an important role in setting policy and political 
objectives.  The EU will discuss freedom, security and 
justice priorities on the basis of a document called 
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament 
and Council, "An Area of Freedom, Security and Justice 
Serving the Citizen."  In the document, dated July 12, 
torture is identified as a priority area with regard to 
terrorist threats.  Comments from the discussion of this 
document will be used to inform the Stockholm Programme, set 
to go into effect at the end of 2009. 
 
¶6.  Amnesty International's EU office quickly issued a 
response to the Communication from the Commission, calling 
for all EU stakeholders to use the opportunity to shape an 
ambitious internal human rights policy for the EU.  Noting a 
lack of attention to international human rights law and 
anti-torture policies, Amnesty offered the following 
recommendations: 
 
--Reform of blacklist systems of the EU to respect the right 
of defendants to be heard, the right to an independent review 
and to an effective judicial remedy; 
 
--Attention to efforts and action at international, regional 
and national levels to prevent and combat torture and other 
ill-treatment within the EU.  (Note: Currently, the only EU 
reference to EU action against torture is made in relation to 
EU external policies.  End Note.); 
 
--Prevention of violations in the course of EU Member State 
participation in CIA illegal rendition and secret prison 
programs; 
 
--Development of a strong stance against the use of 
diplomatic assurances to expel terrorist suspects to 
countries where they would be at risk for torture or other 
ill-treatment. 
SILVERMAN