Torture Survivor Feyera Sobokssa Testifies at US Congress

June 27, 2015 Human Rights

Briefing for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Happened on June 25, 2015 at the US Congress Building, from left Ms. Andrea, Feyera .  “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” ~ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I would like to thank all of you who helped us to give our testimony at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

BRIEFING

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 201510:30 AM

ROOM H-137 OF THE U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING

Sena (L) and Lello Feyera. It is not only father gets tortured, but the whole family.

This briefing will take place at 10:30 AM on 6/25/2015, in Room H-137 of the U.S. Capitol Building.
The briefing is open to members of Congress, congressional staff, the media and the interested public.

DATE Thursday, June 25, 2015

TIME10:30 AM

LOCATIONRoom H-137 of the U.S. Capitol Building

BACKGROUND

In recognition of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a briefing featuring testimonies from torture survivors.

Supportive wife, Zenebech Selgen at the US Congress

This panel will provide personal testimonies by torture survivors from Cameroon and Ethiopia. The State Department’s 2013 Human Rights Report and the UN Committee Against Torture’s country reports document egregious human rights violations in both countries, from torture and abuse by police and prison officials to imprisonment of students and journalists and high numbers of deaths in custody. The panelists will discuss their own experiences in the broader context of human rights violations in their respective countries, and offer recommendations on steps the U.S. Congress can take to improve human rights and eliminate torture in these countries and elsewhere. The discussion will be moderated by staff of the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) International of Washington, D.C., an organization that supports torture survivors in the Washington metropolitan area by providing social services and advocacy training.

WITNESS LIST

• Mr. Feyera Sobokssa, Ethiopia
• Mr. Alene Tewodajj, Ethiopia
• HRH Forchenmbin Charles, Cameroon

Moderator: Ms. Andrea Barron, Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC)

Dr. Sugarman , very good friend and supportive of survivors with Feyera family

The briefing is open to Members, staff and the public. If you have any questions please contact Carson Middleton (for Rep. Pitts) at 202-225-2411 or Carson.Middleton@mail.house.gov or Shad Klein (for Rep. McGovern) at 202-225-3599 or Shadman.Klein@mail.house.gov.

James P. McGovern
Co-Chair, TLHRC

Joseph R. Pitts
Co-Chair, TLHRC

Note: The testimony document to come