Suzanne Jabbour, a Lebanese mental health professional and human rights expert, has been elected Chairman of the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT).
Jabbour is the CEO of Restart Center for the rehabilitation of victims of violence and torture, which is a Lebanon-based NGO active in the field of human rights, focusing on the rights to rehabilitation and the prevention from torture.
Throughout her long-standing career, she has worked closely with victims of torture and war trauma in prisons and the local community.
Jabbour has headed many projects in the field of human rights protection, including the establishment of an EU-funded joint medical-legal center at Tripoli‘s Courthouse.
Her work has contributed to the improvement of detention conditions in Lebanon and the creation of an enhanced legal framework that aims at eradicating torture in the country.
Jabbour, who has an extensive scientific and cultural background, attained additional experience in the field of torture prevention during her 8-year role as Vice-President of the SPT.
The SPT is a U.N. body that has a preventive mandate that incorporates an innovative and sustained approach to the prevention of torture and ill-treatment.
Suzanne Jabbour was elected to head the subcommittee for the 2021-2023 period during the election that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 12th. It’s worth noting that Jabbour is the first Lebanese to fill the position.
