HRCM, with support of IGMH, conducted a training on medico-legal reporting on 29th August 2022. A total of 83 participants took part in this training with 33 participants joining the training virtually from across the Maldives. Participants included medical professionals and managerial staff of tertiary hospitals in Male’, regional hospitals, Maldives Police Service, Maldives Correctional Service, Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services, Family Protection Authority, and non-governmental organizations.

The objective of this training was to create awareness of the anti-torture act and the legal responsibilities of the medical professionals and to raise awareness about gaps in medico-legal reporting. Moreover, raising awareness about the importance of reporting medical aspects of torture allegations and increasing technical knowledge of filling medico-legal form was also an objective to be achieved through this training program.

The Istanbul Protocol, or the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is intended to serve as international guidelines. All professionals operate within the bounds of ethical codes, which serve as a declaration of the common values and recognized obligations of professionals and establish the moral benchmarks to which they must adhere. These obligations and issues related to medico-legal reporting in suspected cases of torture was discussed in today’s training.

Under the Anti-torture Act 2013, HRCM is mandated to investigate allegations of torture, and to function as the National Prevention Mechanism to take direct and indirect measures to prevent all forms of torture in the Maldives.

Read more: Anti-torture report 2022 (Dhivehi)