SYMPOSIUM: "The Changing Face of Torture"

Sonja Wenger, Journalist, Switzerland

Sonja Wenger was born in 1970. She graduated from an acting school in the United States. Then, she made the Diploma Course for Journalism Medien-Ausbildungs-Zentrum (MAZ) and was the International News Editor of the weekly newspaper of Zürich, the Wochenzeitung (WOZ), between 2006 and 2014. She wrote regularly on various aspect of torture. She currently works as a freelance journalist for the WOZ, Bieler Tagblatt, Smartmedia Publishing and Ensuite –Zeitschrift zu Kultur & Kunst.

Denise Graf, Lawyer, Bern-Switzerland

Denise Graf worked in the early 80s approximately two years at the Federal Office of Police. Afterwards, she was active for 10 years at the Refugee Service of Caritas. For the last fifteen years she has been working as a refugee coordinator for Amnesty International.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Wenzel, Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, Austria

Prof. Thomas Wenzel was the former head of the Scientific Committee on Sequels to Persecution and Torture of the World Psychiatric Association. He was also the former general secretary of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health and the former medical director of the IRCT (International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims). He also worked as a coordinator of the ARTIP (Awareness raising and training for the Istanbul Protocol). Currently he works as a professor at the Medical university of Vienna.

Dr. Metin Bakkalci, Physician, Turkey

Metin Bakkalci worked between the years of 1988 and 1996 as a general practitioner. He was the vice president of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) between 2002-2006. He is a founding member of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV) and working also as the secretary general and coordinator of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres for Torture Survivors within this foundation.

Prof. Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci, Physician, Forensic Medicine Specialist, Turkey

Prof. Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincancı has been working for 25 years in forensic medicine and 20 years in the documentation of human rights violations. She is one of the authors of the Istanbul Protocol and Atlas of Torture. She was at the head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Medical Faculty of the Istanbul University many years. She still works as a professor at the same department. Prof. Fincancı is the President of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) and has been a member of the Council of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) since 2012.

Miriam Reventlow, Head of Legal and Advocacy, International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, Denmark

Ms Miriam Reventlow is working as the Director of Advocacy at the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She leads the organization's global work on advocating for the rehabilitation of torture survivors and the absolute prohibition of torture. Her work includes engagement with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms as well as promoting the documentation of torture according to the Istanbul Protocol. Trained as a lawyer in Germany and South Africa, she has extensive experience in the field human rights and international law. Previously, she worked with the German Red Cross, NGOs in France and in South Africa.