About Us

Acat-Luxembourg

ACAT-luxembourg in brief

Since its creation in 1984, ACAT-Luxembourg (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture) has been committed to the abolition of torture and the death penalty throughout the world.
ACAT-Luxembourg bases its action on article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: ‘No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Its mission is, on the one hand, to make the public - and in particular the Christian community - aware of the scandal of torture and capital punishment, and on the other hand, to encourage the public to become actively involved in putting an end to them, whatever the political regime or country where these atrocities take place.
ACAT Luxembourg works on behalf of people who have been tortured or sentenced to death, according to information from the ACAT network. This commitment is made without distinction of ideology, religion, ethnicity or other characteristics of the people concerned. ACAT also intervenes in cases of arbitrary arrest and unfair trials. It fights for human rights defenders who are persecuted, and for refugees who may be returned to a country or region where they risk torture or the death penalty.

Our team
Anna Maria BELLARDINELLI: secretariat
Eric RISCH: accounts
Narek MINASSIAN: graphic design
Ale MINASSIAN: social media
Shabnam SABZEHI: organisation
Monika KONRATH: calls and Acatnews

Board of Directors

Christina FABIAN, President

- Human rights training, awareness-raising

- Network of other NGOs

- Nuit des Veilleurs

Patrick HURST, Vice President

Bodo BOST, Secretary

Raphaël WEICKMANS, Treasurer

Stéphane Jun NA

International network

ACAT is a member of the International Federation of ACATs (FIACAT), which brings together some thirty ACATs around the world and has consultative status with the United Nations and the Council of Europe, as well as observer status with the African Commission on Human Rights.
In Africa, the ACATs work mainly on national issues. They visit prisons, support detainees and document abuses committed. They engage in dialogue with local authorities to obtain concrete improvements and, where necessary, campaign for the abolition of the death penalty.
In Europe and North America, the ACATs focus their efforts on human rights violations abroad, while intervening where necessary on local issues.
This international network enables coordinated action adapted to the specific realities of each region, with the same objective: the defence of human dignity.

Annual theme 2025

‘Human rights in war - historical and current dimensions’.

We observe with concern the serious violations of human rights in the context of wars and armed conflicts, particularly with the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, which affect us closely. In the past, ACAT-Luxembourg has drawn attention, through appeals and silent demonstrations, to acts of torture and conditions of detention in Belarus (2022), Russia (2022), Azerbaijan (2021) and Iran (2023), demanding prosecutions for crimes against humanity. These actions have led to partnerships with Armenian, Ukrainian and Iranian citizens and organisations in Luxembourg.
We now know that the effects of war trauma can be passed on from one generation to the next if left unaddressed. The 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944) is an opportunity for us to highlight the historical dimension of human rights violations in wartime, while linking it to current events, in particular the war in Ukraine. In our ‘Meeting Places’, victims and descendants of past and present wars will be able to get together and share their stories.
In addition, in 2025, every first Monday of the month, when the sirens sound, we will take part in the ‘Sirenengebet’ (Siren Prayer) prayer for peace. For young people, ‘Voices of War - Visions of Peace’ will offer an inclusive and creative space to reflect on this theme.