The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) has been advised that on the night of May 5 2005, the Independent Medico-Legal Units (IMLU) offices in Kenya were attacked by armed and unknown persons.
The Independent Medico-Legal Units (IMLU) is a rehabilitation centre for torture victims and an accredited member organisation of the IRCT. IMLU and its activities are well-known to the IRCT and the international human rights community. IMLU is a bona fide, independent, impartial and well reputed health professional organisation that offers assistance to victims of violence.
The IRCT condemns this attack which has hampered the valuable work of the IMLU.
Furthermore, the IRCT is deeply alarmed about the theft of files, documents and confidential medical records of clients.
– The confidentiality of medical records goes to the heart of the doctor-patient relationship. A breech or any interference on this confidentiality must be regarded as a violation of greatest seriousness and should be promptly investigated and those responsible brought to Justice, says IRCT Secretary-General Brita Sydhoff.
The IRCT urges the government of Kenya to take immediate action to thoroughly investigate and recovered the property and the documents from the centre.
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) is an independent, international health professional umbrella organisation for about 200 rehabilitation centres for torture victims worldwide. The IRCT works for the rehabilitation of torture victims and for the prevention of torture.
For further information, contact media co-ordinator Poul Struve Nielsen, 33 76 06 49 or 23 34 55 09.
www.irct.org, International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Borgergade 13, P.O. Box 9049, 1022 Copenhagen K, Tel.: 33 76 06 00, Fax: 33 76 05 00.
