As we come to the end of 2025, we've been thinking about some highlights from another busy year. #HumanRights around the world are under attack & torture is widespread. Our work is ever more vital.

🕊️⚖️As we mark Human Rights Day, the #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium reflects on a year of collective resolve & impact. 🔗Read our newest joint newsletter: omegaresearchfoundation.org/news/united-... @omctorg.bsky.social @redress.org @irct.bsky.social @fiacat-org.bsky.social

🆕 The #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium new ‘Guidance Note on Addressing the Misuse of Police Weapons in Protests’ provides practical tools for monitors to assist in identifying, documenting, and challenging such misuse in a protest context. 🔗 Download the guide: bit.ly/49ZlZBS

📢 Protests are fundamental to democratic life. Yet across the world, peaceful gatherings are increasingly met with excessive force and dangerous weapons, which undermines freedom of expression, violates human rights and in some cases may amount to torture and other ill-treatment.

📢 Peaceful protests are essential to democracy, yet many are met with excessive force and dangerous weapons. Our new guide helps monitors identify, document, and challenge such misuse during protests. Download our guide: redress.org/publication/...

📢 Peaceful protests are essential to democracy, yet many are met with excessive force & dangerous weapons. Our new guide helps monitors identify, document, & challenge such misuse during protests. Download our new United Against Torture Consortium guide: omegaresearchfoundation.org/news/new-uat...

#UK I joined a communication addressed to the Government of the United Kingdom to raise concerns about gaps in national legislation regulating the trade and export of equipment that may enable torture or ill-treatment.

🇦🇺 Reports in @theguardian.com, @australia.theguardian.com suggest extremely dangerous use of a ‘stinger’ grenade at protests in Melbourne earlier this year. Explosive grenades are dangerous & are not suitable for crowd control. ‼️ The use shown in video seen by Omega is very concerning:

Researchers from Omega & @amnestyfrance.bsky.social recently uncovered companies marketing illegal torture equipment at the Milipol arms and security trade fair in Paris. As a result of our intervention, fair organisers took measures against the firms involved.

🌟 This #GivingTuesday, donate through @globalgiving.bsky.social & make your donation go further! 🌍 Human rights around the world are under threat & torture is widespread. Your support can have a huge impact on our work to push back against threats to fundamental rights & freedoms around the world.

“It didn’t only get you wet, it also burned your skin” 🇬🇪 Did Georgian police use a chemical weapon against protesters? We shared our expertise on police use of force & equipment with journalists investigating claims that police in #Georgia used chemicals mixed in water cannons during 2024 protests.

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✍️ OMCT and UATC partners contributed to ACHPR Newsletter No. 18 on Police and Human Rights.

📣 Torture equipment found at Paris arms fair: A team from @amnestyfrance.bsky.social & Omega discovered Chinese companies marketing illegal torture equipment at the Milipol arms & security trade fair. As a result of our intervention, fair organisers took measures against the firms involved.

Cluster munitions are indiscriminate and so are banned under the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Any use of cluster munitions is incompatible with international humanitarian and human rights law. Cluster munitions have harmed – and killed – civilians for decades.

Apesar de irregulares, sprays de pimenta e tasers são vendidos livremente nas redes. Núcleo localizou comércio em sites como Mercado Livre e até guarda municipal vendendo pelo Instagram; produtos não podem ser adquiridos por qualquer pessoa. Leia a reportagem de @jeniffermendonca.bsky.social👇

⚖️Interested in learning more about the laws that govern police use of force in your country? 📃With the University of Johannesburg, we maintain a repository that brings together info including legislation & relevant caselaw. 🔗: policinglaw.info 🔎: omegaresearchfoundation.org/news/police-...

🇦🇷 Update on our work in Argentina! In October 2025, we were pleased to participate in a series of events in Argentina to support accountability for, prevention, & documentation of #HumanRights violations linked to the use of force & institutional violence: tinyurl.com/5n7m8y7h #UnitedAgainstTorture

It’s #TrusteesWeek!! We’re always grateful for our trustees, but we’d like to particularly celebrate & thank our trustees for their contribution to our work. In sharing your time & expertise, trustees make small charities like ours possible: omegaresearchfoundation.org/who-we-are/t...

New edition of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights's Police & Human Rights in Africa newsletter (with APCOF & Danish Institute for Human Rights). Omega writes about the need for a Torture-Free Trade Treaty as part of torture prevention: tinyurl.com/27w4sykt #UnitedAgainstTorture

🇬🇪 UATC: we condemn the judicial harassment, intimidation, & smear campaigns targeting human rights defenders & journalists in Georgia, including those monitoring police brutality & extracustodial torture and providing vital assistance to survivors: omegaresearchfoundation.org/news/uatc-ge...

The deadliest police operation in Rio de Janeiro’s history has resulted in the deaths of 60+ people in Complexos do Alemão & da Penha. Sending 1000s of heavily-armed police to invade densely-populated neighbourhoods runs counter to principles of precaution & proportionality, & duty to protect life.

🌍 The #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium gathered over 40 human rights actors from 16 African countries in Banjul to strengthen efforts against torture ahead of the African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights session. ✊Together, we stand for prevention, accountability & survivor support.

🔗 Read the press release: bit.ly/4nOo5si #Africa #HumanRights #EndTorture #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium @redress.org @fiacat-org.bsky.social @irct.bsky.social @omegarf.bsky.social

🇷🇺 Russia: The #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium & the Crew against Torture condemn Russia's decision to leave the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, which ends independent oversight of the Russian prison system & further institutionalises torture & impunity.

The #TortureFreeTrade Network is in the @rcw-wilpf.bsky.social Briefing Book for UN First Committee! Learn about the vital need for a treaty to stop the trade in equipment used for #torture, uphold #HumanRights, & #ProtectTheProtest: reachingcriticalwill.org/images/docum... #UnitedAgainstTorture

We were pleased to join the Torture-Free Trade Network to deliver @amnesty.org's petition - signed by 251,178 people! - to representatives from Austria, Denmark, France, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, & the UK. Yesterday, it was also shared with the EU & Mongolia.

Soon at Third Committee, the @unsrapporteurfoaa.bsky.social is presenting her most recent report on freedom of assembly & association rights, collective action, & human solidarity facing an existential threat. Read the report: www.ohchr.org/en/documents... Watch the session: webtv.un.org/en

Today at the UN Third Committee, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture is conducting her interactive dialogue & presenting her most recent report on trends & developments in the global struggle to end torture. Read the report here: www.ohchr.org/en/documents... Watch along on UNTV: webtv.un.org/en

Join us for a UN side event on 'Tackling the trade in tools of torture: the path forward'! 📅Wed 15 October 15:00-16:30 ET 📣Speakers include @unsrapporteurfoaa.bsky.social 🔗 webtv.un.org/en/asset/k19...

Did you know there are no international #HumanRights based controls on the trade in torture equipment?! Sign the petition and join us in calling for governments to act: we need a binding #TortureFreeTrade Treaty now! #ProtectTheProtest #UnitedAgainstTorture www.amnesty.org/en/petition/...

We must end this detestable commerce in human cruelty. @cvt.org is proud to partner with @amnesty.org @omegarf.bsky.social and others in pursuit of a #TortureFreeTradeTreaty

Big news from the @coe.int! We join @amnestyeu.bsky.social in welcoming this progress towards #TortureFreeTrade!

🇲🇬 The #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium condemns the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrations for access to water & electricity in #Madagascar. At least 22 people, including children, were killed. Such violence & impunity cannot be tolerated. FR: tinyurl.com/823kvaup EN: tinyurl.com/2j9hrj97

🇲🇬 Le Consortium United Against Torture condamne la répression brutale des manifestations pacifiques pour l’eau et l’électricité à #Madagascar. 22 morts, dont des enfants. L’impunité ne peut être tolérée. 📄 Lire le communiqué : www.fiacat.org/presse/commu... #UnitedAgainstTorture

📣 Congratulations to the 5 newly elected members of the Committee against Torture: Ms. Maeda, Mr. Rouwane, Mr. Liu, Ms. Gonzales Pinto, & Mr. Abdallah. We look forward to working together to strengthen the fight against torture & ill-treatment worldwide. 🌍More info: www.omct.org/en/resources...

The new 10-shot #Taser 10 has just been authorised for use by UK police. Omega staff are experts in different law enforcement equipment & you can learn about #Taser10 & use in the UK on our website: omegaresearchfoundation.org/news/taser-1...

Lovely profile in The Liverpool Post of our friend and former trustee Rae McGrath: www.livpost.co.uk/from-merseys... @minesadvisorygroup.bsky.social

📽️WATCH: Babloo Loitongbam, human rights lawyer and director of Human Rights Alert, describes how torture, killings and arbitrary detention define daily life in Manipur, hitting minorities hardest. He urges the international community to hold #India accountable for real change. #EndTortureInIndia

📺WATCH: Torture in #India remains a crisis —systemic, routine, and rarely punished. 📽️ This video and our report highlight the urgency of reform—and the opportunities for India to match its global aspirations with human rights leadership.

🗳️ On 1 October 2025, UN Member States will elect 5 new members to the 🇺🇳 UN Committee against Torture. Why does it matter? Because the Committee plays a crucial role in holding States accountable for torture prevention worldwide. 🌏

The people elected must embody: ✅ Independence ✅ Integrity and high moral standing ✅ Recognised expertise in human rights & the fight against torture 🔗 Learn more about the candidates and the event: bit.ly/4pBs90t

📣It is time for a #TortureFreeTrade Treaty. 🪧Join us in demanding governments take action to regulate the trade in law enforcement equipment that is used for torture: www.amnesty.org/en/petition/... #UnitedAgainstTorture #ProtectTheProtest

✊REDRESS and the Kurdistan Human Rights Network join prominent organisations and individuals in calling for the release and life-saving medical treatment for Zeinab Jalalian, Iran's longest-held female political prisoner. Learn more 🔽 redress.org/news/promine...

🪧Have you wondered about the weapons you see police using against protesters around the world? 🔗 In @aljazeera.com’s ‘Business of War’, learn about militarised policing, less lethal weapons, & hear from Omega’s own Neil Corney: www.aljazeera.com/video/busine...

⛓️ Zeinab Jalalian, Iran’s longest-held female political prisoner, has spent 17 years behind bars for speaking out for women’s rights and against oppression. 🚨Now Zeinab needs life-saving medical care, but Iran is denying her care. Read our open letter 🔽 redress.org/publication/...

🇬🇧At DSEI 2025 a company was yet again found displaying banned weapons. ⁉️Companies promoting banned equipment at DSEI is an on-going problem. 📣We are calling for the UK Govt to properly enforce its own export control laws & for DSEI organisers to do more. 🔗 omegaresearchfoundation.org/news/promoti...

🇳🇵The Nepalese government's use of force in last week's deadly crackdown on youth-led protests suggest an unlawful & disproportionate response to assemblies & a serious breach of Nepal’s obligations under international law, including the absolute prohibition of #torture.

#ClusterMunition components have been promoted at the #DSEI arms fair in London. Cluster munitions randomly scatter bomblets/submunitions & pose an unacceptable risk to civilians. The UK is a State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions & this promotion is prohibited under DSEI's own policies

🇨🇩 La documentation par la Commission d’enquête de l’ONU des violations graves des droits humains commises dans l’Est de la #RDC est cruciale pour la lutte contre l’impunité et l’accès des victimes à la justice. 🔗 Lire la déclaration de #UATC et ses partenaires en RDC @AFIA MAMA: bit.ly/4gjIceX