The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is a commemorative day which takes place on June 26, 2018. It had been launched by the United Nations (UN) in 1997 and is a result of the UN-convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This convention is binding according to international law, and aims to avoid, ban and prohibit torture.
Torture is defined as the intended inflicting of physic and mental pain and suffering in the shape of violence, fear or massive humiliation. The UN also considers any kind of intended strong physic or mental violence committed by the government as torture. An example for such a kind of torture is extorting confessions. Pain or suffering caused by legal penalty is not considered as torture.