History of REDRESS

REDRESS was founded in 1992 by Keith Carmichael, a survivor of torture.

While working in the Middle East, Keith was detained without charge or trial from 1981 to 1984. He spent three months in solitary confinement and endured more than two years of arbitrary detention. During this time, he suffered severe mistreatment, including an assault that fractured his spine, other serious physical injuries and lasting psychological trauma.

Months after his release, and still living with the lasting effects of torture, Keith recognised a critical gap: while other organisations campaigned for prisoners’ release and provided medical care, none specialised in helping survivors obtain reparation for the harm they had suffered.

He consulted human rights and legal experts and met other survivors seeking reparation for torture, many of whom did not know how to pursue their rights. He saw that, despite the legal right to reparation, survivors faced significant barriers to obtaining it in practice.

REDRESS was established on 10 December 1992, United Nations Human Rights Day, to help close that gap.

More than 30 years later, REDRESS remains committed to a world without torture. We pursue justice and reparation for survivors, challenge impunity for perpetrators and advocate for the legal and policy reforms needed to prevent torture.

REDRESS Nederland

REDRESS Nederland was established in The Hague on 7 September 2016, building on REDRESS’ extensive experience working with the International Criminal Court and other international justice institutions on victim participation and reparation in criminal proceedings.

While REDRESS shares the same mission in London and the Netherlands, REDRESS Nederland is a separately constituted and independent organisation.

Photo by Fiona Lloyd-Davies: Keith Carmichael.