This is not a complete sentence, so it cannot be accurately translated. Please provide the full Farsi text.
Siavash Khoramgah

The upcoming conversation with Dr. Azat Maslehnjad, policy analyst and researcher at the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT), regarding the introduction of this center and the effective factors in improving the critical conditions of torture victims, has taken place.

In a conversation with the peace line, Ezat Mosallanejad emphasizes that the effects of torture, including psychological effects, remain with the individual for the rest of their life. He says, “The only thing we can do is to increase the individual’s resistance and gradually change their behavior and perspective towards life. In fact, we are trying to empower the individual to see themselves as their own doctor and someone who can help themselves, and increase their ability to cope.”

Mr. Mosallanejad, as the first question, please provide a brief description of the Canadian Center for Victims of Torture, including its history, for the readers of the peace line.

This center was established following the coup in Chile and the escape of a large number of Chilean refugees to Canada. In fact, a group of lawyers, human rights activists, doctors, and psychiatrists collaborated to establish the Canadian Center for Victims of Torture in 1977 to help the victims of the Chilean coup.

The purpose of this center is to help the victims of torture, war, genocide, and crimes against humanity to gain the strength to cope with the consequences of torture, war, and all the atrocities that have been committed against them.

How many people have visited your center so far and mostly from which countries?

Since its establishment in 1977, we have helped 22,000 visitors from 136 countries.

Do you have any statistics about the countries of your visitors in 2014?

In 2014, the majority of people who came to us were from Iraq, or from countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, Eritrea, and North African countries. We also had many visitors from Libya, Syria, Iran, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Guatemala, El Salvador, as well as countries in South America and Latin America, including even Brazil.

How many of your visitors are Iranians who come to this center and what are their most common experiences and struggles?

We saw about 200 Iranians last year and I can say that between 5 to 7 percent of our clients are Iranian.

Unfortunately, in Iran, there are both horrific physical tortures such as hanging, nail pulling, burning, and beating with a whip, as well as numerous psychological tortures such as threats, solitary confinement, sleep deprivation, withholding food, and constant humiliation. Additionally, there have been many cases of sexual abuse. In fact, sexual abuse has been used as a tool of torture, and there have even been instances of sexual abuse against men in prisons in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In your opinion, will physical torture have irreparable consequences for the victim, or will it be psychological and spiritual torture?

Physical torture and mental torture are closely related and mental torture is always accompanied by physical torture and vice versa. In this way, both mental and physical torture leave lasting effects that stay with individuals until the end of their lives. Despite having a well-equipped medical team including psychiatrists, psychologists, and general practitioners, and being in contact with a large number of doctors outside of our center, as well as being experts in the field of mental health treatment, we never claim to have a specific formula that can eliminate the effects and consequences of torture.

The effects of torture, including psychological effects, remain with the individual for the rest of their life, and the only thing we can do is to increase their resilience and gradually change their behavior and perspective towards life. In fact, we are trying to empower the individual to see themselves as their own doctor and someone who can help themselves, and increase their ability to cope. All that we are doing is…

Do you also offer online services so that, for example, individuals living in Iran who have been in prison and under torture can also use them, or do you only accept in-person visits?

No, unfortunately we do not have the power to provide our services outside of the province of Ontario, Canada. We can only provide services to those who come to us. However, if someone is here and is one of our supporters, and for example, one of their family members is seeking refuge in another country outside of Iran and is facing a problem, we can write a letter. Or even if someone’s family member is in prisons in the Islamic Republic, we can write to the Canadian government, international organizations, and Iranian authorities and request for the person’s release or for them to prevent their execution. Many times we have the potential to do such things, but often no one pays attention to us!

Of course, this work is not just about Iranians. We also have another project where we publish a magazine every 6 months. In this magazine, we publish the results of our research on how to combat torture, psychological treatment of torture effects, prevention of torture, and international anti-torture laws, which everyone can use from its content, also available on our website.

While we are in contact with the United Nations and other organizations, we participate in their meetings whenever necessary and defend the rights of torture victims and victims of war, genocide, and crimes against humanity.

Based on your experiences and observations, do individuals who have been tortured in Iran have a chance to return to their previous or natural state after their release?

Look, 5% of the people who come to us can return to their normal state. These individuals are very strong and powerful, and even turn their experience of torture into something very constructive. For example, among the people who came to me, I know someone who is now a specialist doctor or another person who owns several factories. 5% also suffer from irreparable mental disorders, which we call paranoia, and are essentially untreatable and their condition does not change. The remaining 90% also need various services at different levels, which must always be provided to them.

All of these issues, as I mentioned to you, depend on the individual’s resilience; in addition, they are also influenced by various other factors such as work conditions, family circumstances, the environment in which one lives, and the person’s physical condition.

Currently, in the world, to what extent does medical science or institutions such as the Canadian Center for the Support of Torture Victims help in the treatment of torture survivors?

Unfortunately, currently in two-thirds of the world, torture is being practiced; in 80 countries, torture is systematically used and in these countries, individuals are sentenced to death, in 50 countries children are tortured, and in 7 countries, including Iran, the death penalty is applied to children. Even in countries that are considered to be advanced industrialized countries, some form of torture exists.

In relation to torture treatment organizations, our organization in North America is one of the strongest and the second largest in the world. There is also a very strong organization in Denmark with about 100 branches. There are also experts and psychologists worldwide, as well as general practitioners who have expertise in treating torture survivors; however, it should be noted that for a survivor, clinical treatment alone is not enough. They may be triggered by anything they see, even outside of their home, so they need comprehensive and holistic treatment. Not only do they need medical help, but they also need a suitable job, a suitable home, and suitable friends. If they live in a country other than their own, they should also know the language in order to connect with the community.

Our center strives to provide all of these services, but there are few organizations in the world that offer such comprehensive treatment. For example, there is an organization in Victoria, Australia that does this kind of work, but even in Canada, besides our center, there is no other place that can do it. This is because the work is very complex and difficult, and it requires a lot of budget and financial and human resources.

In your opinion, what is the role of family and society in improving the conditions of a crisis-affected individual?

The role of family is extremely important. The torture that oppressors inflict is throwing victims into solitary confinement and depriving them of any contact with their families. Even after their release, they are separated from their families and condemned to loneliness. Loneliness is a very terrifying thing and when a person feels that they are alone and have no one in the world to connect with, they can suffer from terrible mental conditions. This shows how having a family and maintaining a connection with them can be beneficial.

But if I want to emphasize on a problem for the treatment of a tortured patient, the important issue is that they feel life is meaningful and they have love for it. Based on this definition, it must be emphasized that nothing gives more meaning to a person’s life than their family. Even when a person is facing execution and sees that their family supports them, love and passion for life will arise in them and they can resist.

But unfortunately, many of the people who come to our center are individuals who have fled their country and left their families behind, and have developed severe mental disorders as a result of coming here. One of the things we strive for is to reunite these individuals with their families. For example, among our visitors are those whose father, husband, or child has gone missing, and these events have a very destructive impact on people’s souls. Strengthening the family, which essentially means creating a connection between the victim and their family and even creating a family, is very beneficial. Every psychiatrist and psychologist who helps torture victims first pays attention to providing a healthy family life for the individual.

If there is a specific point at the end that you have in mind, please do let me know.

The bottom line is that torture is a crime against humanity. Torture is not just limited to a few countries, it must be fought against on a global level. Another important issue is that the death penalty is a form of torture, not only for the individual being executed, but also for their family members and the entire community. The death penalty must be stopped for anyone and for any reason. Iran will never see democracy and freedom unless its government takes the first step of abolishing the death penalty and torture…

Thank you for the opportunity you have given us.