Freedom from Torture is delighted to announce that it has taken the Overall Award for Excellence at this year’s Charity Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious awards scheme in the charity sector.
As well as winning the top prize in the Campaigning & Advocacy category, Freedom from Torture was chosen as the Overall Winner by this year’s judges for its creative and successful campaign to stop airlines from flying refugees to Rwanda as part of the government’s new anti-refugee agenda.
The Stop the Flights campaign focused on the UK government’s plans to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda to process asylum claims. Horrified by this announcement in April 2022 – especially as survivors of torture were among those being threatened with removal – Freedom from Torture formulated a campaign that specifically targeted the six airlines that were shortlisted for the flight contracts, transporting refugees to Rwanda.
The charity is fighting to preserve the right to seek asylum and for those seeking sanctuary in the UK to be given a fair hearing and treated with compassion. The charity was also concerned that if the UK could ignore its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention, other countries could try to follow suit and these hard-won human rights would be severely threatened, not just here but everywhere.
Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive of Freedom From Torture, said: “Our wins were a huge statement by the charity sector against this government’s cash-for-humans plan to fly refugees to Rwanda. Collectively they have stated clearly: not in our name. Our survivor-led #StopTheFlights campaign successfully compelled 4 out the 6 airlines who were willing to profit from the pain of refugees to pull out of the scheme. With the Rwanda plans likely to pass, it is absolutely imperative that we – as a caring nation – take action against what this government is doing.”
“At Freedom from Torture, we see people every day who’ve fled torture by taking dangerous journeys to reach the UK. Instead of dealing with the real issues at hand, this government is continuing to double down on scapegoating people who have escaped persecution and torture. Winning this award is not only recognition of the vital work we do in our rehabilitation services, but also of the bravery of our survivors who are willing to stand up against it”.
