For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 26, 2005
President's Statement on United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
On United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of
Torture, the United States reaffirms its commitment to the worldwide
elimination of torture. Freedom from torture is an inalienable human
right, and we are committed to building a world where human rights are
respected and protected by the rule of law.
The United States is continuing to work to expand freedom and
democracy throughout the world. We will seek and support the growth of
democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, and
we will help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and
make their own way. Throughout the world, there are many who have been
seeking to have their voices heard, to stand up for their right to
freedom, and to break the chains of tyranny. Too many of those
courageous women and men are paying a terrible price for their brave
acts of dissent. Many have been detained, arrested, thrown in prison,
and subjected to torture by regimes that fail to understand that their
habits of control will not serve them well in the long-term. America
will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that
women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being
aspires to live at the mercy of bullies. All who live in tyranny and
hopelessness can know: The United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.
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