Dr. Vincent Iacopino is a pioneer in conceptualizing the relationship between health and human rights. He was the principal organizer of the Istanbul Protocol, the international best-practice guidelines for the medical and legal investigation of allegations of torture.
On April 11 Iacopino will deliver the keynote at “Documenting Persecution and Trauma: Advancing Asylum and Human Rights Through the 2022 Istanbul Protocol,” a Pozen Center event examining the relevance of the latest version of the Protocol to the work of advocates assisting asylum seekers in the Chicago area.
In advance of his appearance, we asked Iacopino some questions about what he plans to discuss.
What do you want to help people understand about the Istanbul Protocol?
There’s a basic definition: the Protocol is a series of guidelines for effective legal and clinical investigation of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. Those guidelines didn’t exist until 2001, and it’s made a huge difference to have them in the world. Torture happens in secret places, and it’s always very difficult to gather evidence and evaluate allegations. But the Protocol has made a real difference in exposing torture practices and holding perpetrators accountable, which I’ll discuss through some examples.
Talking about human rights is a way of talking about who we are and what we want to become. The Istanbul Protocol is an example of how we’re making progress on torture, but it holds lessons for anyone else hoping to do their part to increase peace, justice, and dignity in the world.
But beyond that, the story of the Istanbul Protocol is instructive for anyone interested in advancing human rights in the world. It’s a story of health professionals and legal experts coming together – with the odds really stacked against them – to empower themselves and civil society to hold states accountable. It’s about standing up and saying “no” to one of the most heinous human rights violations and figuring out how to change history.
What’s the significance of the 2022 updates to the Protocol?
This was a major effort, involving more than 180 people from 51 countries over a six year period. We strengthened the Protocol with updates and new guidance for both legal and clinical investigation and documentation of torture based on 20 years of lessons learned.
To ensure that States take the comprehensive and sustained actions necessary to implement Istanbul Protocol standards, the new edition provides detailed implementation guidance: a roadmap for States on the conditions necessary for successful implementation of Istanbul Protocol and a framework for civil society to ensure state accountability.
Such implementation guidance calls for a “sea change” in how legal, judicial, health and law enforcement sectors work effectively in collaboration with international actors and members of civil society.
Who do you hope shows up for your talk?
Anyone who is interested in human rights. Which I would like to think is everyone. We don’t do a good job with human rights education here in the United States; it’s something we should be learning about as children. Talking about human rights is a way of talking about who we are and what we want to become. The Istanbul Protocol is an example of how we’re making progress on torture, but it holds lessons for anyone else hoping to do their part to increase peace, justice, and dignity in the world.
- Register for Iacopino’s April 11 talk and panel.
- Learn about the companion event on April 12: a day-long series of workshops for people looking to apply the updated Istanbul Protocol to work with asylum seekers.
- Meet Pozen Alum Rohini Haar, who contributed significantly to the new Istanbul Protocol, and will participate in a panel on April 11 and present a workshop on April 12.