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Our team
Since 1984, several presidents have led ACAT-Luxembourg, each leaving their mark on the association's history. We express our deep gratitude to them for their commitment to a universal cause.
President & Mandate
Pierre Tourné, first president 1985 – 1988
Robert Altmann (founding member) since 1985
Patrick Byrne 1990 – 1994
Paule de Marcillac 1994 – 1998
Bernadette Jung 1998 – 2005
Monique Ruppert 2005 – 2008 & 2012 – 2016
Cécile Thill 2008 – 2012
Marie-Christine Ries 2016 – 2018
Christina Fabian 2018 – 2025
Patrick Hurst since 2025 (current president)
Rob Altman, founding member 1985
For a Christian, prayer and action are inseparable. This is my deepest conviction — and one I also owe to ACAT. The Christian faith is not merely a state of soul, however elevated, but, as the Protestant scholar and humanist Théodore Monod put it, "first and foremost a will to act, to bring the Kingdom of God into concrete reality in this world."
When, in 1984, I was approached to help found the Luxembourg chapter of ACAT, I was serving within Amnesty International Luxembourg as coordinator of "urgent actions" and of the International Campaign for the Abolition of Torture. Over the course of several informational and awareness-raising meetings on the subject of torture, I had no difficulty convincing those present that each of us holds in our hands a share of the power to fight against that which disfigures humanity. Elected president of the Luxembourg section of Amnesty International in 1985, I gladly lent my signature to seal the birth certificate of ACAT Luxembourg, convinced that it was necessary to build the broadest possible coalition of all people of goodwill to combat the scourge of torture.
In its work, ACAT refers in particular to Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which stipulates that "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." The organisation also draws on that article to argue for the abolition of the death penalty as a flagrant violation of the right to life. In this context, I take the liberty of expressing to ACAT my wish that it intensify its commitment against the application of the death penalty — notably in the United States, a country with a predominantly Christian tradition — all the more so since 2018, when the Catechism of the Catholic Church affirmed, in the light of the Gospel, that the death penalty is "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person."
That said, I extend to the members of ACAT Luxembourg my sincere thanks and congratulations for having travelled, over these forty years, a meaningful stretch of road in solidarity with the victims of human rights violations around the world — in remembrance of the words of Christ: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Mt 25:31–46).
With my warmest wishes for a prosperous future and my fervent, daily prayer,
Roby Altmann
Patrick Byrne 1990 - 1994
When I took over the presidency of ACAT Luxembourg in March 1990, succeeding Rosalie Freppel, our young association — five years old at the time — was already very active and growing steadily: 98 members, quickly brought up to 150. Once a month, 20 to 30 members would gather, alternating between the French Protestant parish and the European Catholic parish, to reflect, share, pray and organise actions.
Nous avons alors cherché pendant plusieurs mois un local indépendant et plus accessible au public. Nous avons finalement installé notre bureau au 23 avenue Gaston Diderich, derrière la chapelle des jésuites, où il était également possible de tenir des réunions dans le même bâtiment.
Au-delà de l’engagement constant de nombreux membres, dès les débuts de l’ACAT, dans le travail lié aux appels urgents, je souhaite souligner quelques faits marquants de ces quatre années de notre association
Vigilance regarding "prison" and "refugees"
Two events brought about the emergence of vigilance work within ACAT as early as 1990. Firstly, the Info-Prison association denounced the extreme isolation conditions imposed on some inmates at Schrassig Prison. It was in this context that ACAT's prison vigilance group was created, tasked with monitoring the risk of inhumane treatment in prisons, including among minors at the Dreiborn Socio-Educational Center. This marked the beginning of a long collaboration with the newly established European Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
On the other hand, ACAT responded in the same year to the call from the Caritas Refugee Service to set up the Refugee Collective (Lëtzebuerger Flüchtlingsrot), alongside five other associations, in order to carry out collective actions aimed at improving the reception conditions of asylum seekers.
Missing Children of Argentina
The working group dedicated to "disappeared" children in Argentina and, more broadly, to children's rights, was particularly active. Its commitment led to the visit to Luxembourg in February 1992 of the president and vice-president of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a very moving moment.
Death penalty
The fight against the death penalty was an important area of work: actions of the working group set up at ACAT from the 1989-90 campaign of Amnesty International, correspondence of some members with those sentenced to death… In 1994, ACAT Luxembourg was tasked by FIACAT with organizing an international “death penalty” campaign aimed at the Churches of the USA, which would be launched the following year.
Public events
With a view to raising wider awareness of the fight against torture in Luxembourg, ACAT has organised several public events, involving the artistic community, in particular:
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The evening of January 20, 1992, "A highlight for human rights" at St. Michael's Church, with a lecture by Guy Aurenche, president of FIACAT, and a concert by the Eurocantica choir.
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The performance on January 22, 1994, "Suffering and Deliverance: Artists Take Action for Victims of Torture," benefited the Behandlungszentrum für Folteropfer (Treatment Center for Torture Victims), Berlin. The Villa Louvigny was packed.
A growing role within FIACAT
FIACAT quickly became an important part of ACAT Luxembourg's activities during this period.
In 1990, our members' monthly meetings provided an opportunity to reflect on the theme of the first major international ACAT meeting, "Torture, Torturers, Christian Hope," held in Basel in October. Seven delegates from Luxembourg participated.
A year later, the FIACAT International Council was held in Luxembourg. FIACAT then comprised 10 member associations, all from Western countries. Its structure was to change the following year with the arrival of the African ACATs.
In September 1992, Michel Sigwarth and I represented ACAT Luxembourg at the first ACAT meeting in Africa, in Cotonou, Benin—a moment of hope for six fledgling ACAT chapters and for many countries emerging from dictatorship. There, we conveyed messages of support from Prime Minister Jacques Santer, Speaker of the House Erna Hennicot-Schoepges, and Bishop Fernand Franck, and signed a twinning agreement with ACAT Togo.
From 1993 onwards, ACAT Luxembourg also played a leading role in the formation of the ACAT network in Europe, enabling the strengthening of joint actions, influencing European human rights policies and supporting emerging groups, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.
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Paule de Marcillac 1994-1998
My encounter with ACAT was a pivotal moment in my life.
Discovering the violence and horror of inhumane and degrading treatment inflicted by states… Being able to put words to it in order to better fight back… Expressing my revolt against injustice through non-violent action… Overcoming my fears, discovering the possibilities of struggle, its mechanisms, within a caring and inventive team…
Others besides myself will describe our actions, which during these four years of presidency have been constantly strengthened in our efforts towards victims of institutional torture.
This is what I experienced at Acat Luxembourg.
As a Catholic, I finally breathed in a rich and vibrant ecumenism that has never left me since, in reflection and theological research.
Working in an association is a great school of life.
Bernadette Jung 1998 -2005
ACAT Luxembourg, like some thirty ACATs around the world, is an ecumenical NGO whose mandate is to fight against torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, and the death penalty. It is supported in its work by its international federation, FIACAT, which coordinates the actions of the various ACATs and represents them at the international level. It also works in collaboration with other NGOs, including Amnesty International, one of its key partners.
Its methods of action are:
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urgent actions on behalf of victims of torture and those on death row around the world,
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awareness-raising campaigns within the ACAT network, with the support of FIACAT, and often in coordination with other organisations,
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interventions before national, regional and international bodies,
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prayer, which is at the heart of ACAT's work, alongside collaboration with the Churches — particularly through liturgical gatherings and times of reflection on respect for human dignity.
The defining work of this period centred on vigilance and whistleblowing at the national level in two very specific areas: detention in places of custody, and the reception conditions for asylum seekers, where inhumane and degrading treatment was being observed.
Conditions of detention in the prison environment had been a concern for ACAT from the very start of its activities. Over time, ACAT was able to build a relationship of trust with the prison management, such that during my term it was authorised to visit inmates who requested it. In this way, ACAT successfully alerted the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to the case of a remand prisoner who had been held in solitary confinement for nine months, despite posing no risk of flight or concealment of evidence. The detainee was subsequently released pending trial.
The situation of minors in closed settings was a file that demanded ACAT's commitment for nearly 20 years. At the time, juvenile offenders could be isolated in a special section of the Luxembourg Penitentiary Centre (CPL), and troubled minors could, as a disciplinary measure, be placed in solitary confinement for up to twenty days in an educational facility.
ACAT denounced such practices at the national, regional and international levels. Nationally, together with the Info-Prison association, it raised public awareness through media appearances and challenged the authorities responsible for child protection. At the European level, it alerted the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on several occasions, as well as the Commissioner for Human Rights. At the United Nations, together with FIACAT, it submitted observations to the Committee on the Rights of the Child and to the Committee Against Torture. It would take several more years before the Luxembourg authorities remedied the "unacceptable and inadequate conditions" of solitary confinement for minors flagged by the CPT and the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
By 1998, ACAT had already been working for nearly a decade to defend the fundamental rights of refugees within the Collectif Réfugiés, alongside other organisations such as AI, ASTI, ALNU, and Caritas. Beyond raising public awareness, it monitored asylum policy with a view to improving both regulations and practice at the national and European levels.
The Consultative Commission on Human Rights, of which I was a member representing ACAT, published observations and recommendations on forced removals in its 2003–2004 report. Within that body, I also participated in the working group on the raids of 31 March 2003 — searches carried out with considerable brutality in private homes and associative premises suspected of links to radical Islam. These operations led to the arrest of two Tunisian nationals who were expelled to their country of origin and, upon their return to Tunis, were imprisoned and tortured. In at least one of the cases, the Luxembourg State was ordered by a civil court to pay damages.
Finally, I should mention, from that same period, a first gathering of European ACATs in Luxembourg, held with the aim of pooling our ways of working.
Bernadette Jung, Berlin, 14 November 2025
Monique Ruppert 2005-2008 & 2012 -2016
A member of ACAT since 1984 and a Board member from 1985 to 2015, I took on the presidency of ACAT from 2005 to 2008 and again from 2012 to 2016, succeeding Bernadette Jung. What motivated me to take on this demanding role was, first and foremost, the desire to carry forward our commitment to the abolition of torture, the fight against ill-treatment in places of detention, and support for refugees.
With the help of Patrick and Bernadette, we were able to continue producing reports for the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and for the United Nations. This required gathering precise information, conducting interviews across various ministries — Justice, Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Family, and others — as well as with the prison director and during visits to detainees.
Another key aspect of our work was reaching out to the Christian churches and our efforts to convince them to join ACAT. This approach yielded some positive results, most notably the signing of the "Declaration of the Council of Christian Churches in Luxembourg" on 10 December 2006, at the Church of Saint-Michel.
Exchanges with FIACAT and the other European sections of ACAT were also an important part of my work. These annual gatherings, held in different European countries, were an opportunity to share new ideas and strengthen our collaboration. In 2006, our ACAT had the honour of preparing and hosting one of these weekends, with great enthusiasm and a wealth of innovative initiatives.
A considerable source of enrichment was meeting all those people committed to the work of our mission — whether our own members, those involved in our ACAT networks or in the Collectif Réfugiés, or Christians from the various communities.
I also have wonderful memories of our guest speakers at conferences: Rebiya Kadeer, president of the World Uyghur Congress in exile; Guy Aurenche, a great champion of human rights and former president of FIACAT; Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, president of Iran Human Rights; as well as the screening of the film "The Chebeya Affair: A Crime of State" at the Utopia cinema, in the presence of director Thierry Michel and his wife. The concert by the Byrne family, "Crossing Borders," is also among the memorable events.
The figure of 269 urgent appeals sent in 2005 speaks to the dedication of our members and the significance of their mobilisation.
The most important moment of my second presidency, from 2012 to 2016, was the launch of a European petition entitled "Torture Is No Laughing Matter." This action, conceived as a wake-up call for Europe, was launched on 1 May by ACAT Luxembourg, in cooperation with the International ACAT Federation and several European ACATs, and with the support of Amnesty International Luxembourg.
Through this petition, ACAT called on the EU Council, under the Luxembourg Presidency, to give the promotion of human dignity — and in particular the fight against torture — the absolute priority it deserves.
On Monday 29 June, two days before the start of the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU Council, an ACAT delegation presented Mr Jean Olinger, Director of Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the petition bearing 11,557 signatures, asking him to forward it to Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn.
Cécile Thill, présidente de l’ACAT-Luxembourg de 2008 à 2012
A member of ACAT Luxembourg since my arrival in Luxembourg in 2002, and an active volunteer from 2002 to 2021, I served on the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2018 and as its president from 2008 to 2012.
From my years of involvement, I carry many vivid memories — of encounters, events, advocacy actions, and the life of the association. I met wonderful people there and learned enormously. During my years as president, I was greatly supported by the Board and the team of active, dedicated volunteers. Two highlights from that period stand out for me in particular:
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I took up my role during the large-scale campaign by the China Collective for the respect of human rights, in 2007–2008, on the eve of the Beijing Olympics. I remember the symbolic handover of the Olympic torch to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, by the collective's delegation, which also included the presidents of Amnesty International Luxembourg, Les Amis du Tibet, and CSI. It was my first official mission representing ACAT! (photo attached: Delegation MAE Collectif Chine, 11.04.2008)
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The events we organised around the 60th anniversary of the UDHR in November and December 2008 also left a deep impression on me. The interfaith vigil brought together representatives of the main faith communities present in Luxembourg and a large audience around a deeply moving artistic and spiritual celebration. (photo attached: Interfaith Vigil, 9.12.2008)
Yet the most significant event for me was the visit of Father Michael Lapsley, who came from South Africa to speak to us about his commitment against Apartheid and the Healing of Memories process he founded in 1998. We had no idea then of the extraordinary friendship and long collaboration that would grow from that encounter: the birth of a Healing of Memories group within ACAT, and then the creation of an independent association in 2020, as our work expanded. That meeting changed my life and my commitment, drawing me toward more concrete action alongside victims. Since 2008, Michael Lapsley has returned to Luxembourg regularly. He has trained a strong team of facilitators here, enabling us not only to bring his remarkable method to the people of Luxembourg and the Greater Region, but also to spread it throughout the French-speaking world — Quebec and Africa. For me, this is the natural continuation of my years of commitment within ACAT. (photo attached: Michael Lapsley Conference, 21.11.2008)
Marie-Christine Ries (2016-2018)
What has always impressed me about ACAT is the commitment of the African ACAT associations to human rights. Many of them have taken real risks in order to act.
My own personal involvement with ACAT began in the Vigilance Group, monitoring closed institutions. Human rights are not something to be taken for granted — they require protection and promotion.
Signing the monthly appeals and praying for those who are tortured, as well as for those who carry out the torture, are important elements of this commitment.
For the future, my wish for ACAT is that the work for human rights and against torture — in collaboration with people of different cultures, religions and generations — may continue and bear fruit.
Christina Fabian (2018- 2025)
As I prepare to step down next month after seven years as President of ACAT Luxembourg, I find myself reflecting on a journey defined by the defense of human dignity and the power of collective action. My tenure began in 2018 with a landmark interfaith celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which solidified our role as a bridge between diverse religious communities. By drafting the joint declaration "Human Rights, Universal Values, Living Together, United in Our Rich Diversity," we reaffirmed that while our roots are Christian, our mission is a universal mandate to protect the vulnerable in an increasingly complex world.
Throughout my presidency, I have been guided by the conviction that human rights can only flourish within a robust democracy supported by a vigilant civil society. We have faced daunting challenges, from the rise of lawless spaces in dictatorial regimes to the horrific use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. In response, we have leaned into our spiritual foundations—Praise of God, Compassion, and Commitment—exemplified by our recent Friedrich Spee project. Whether through our regular prayer services for both victims and perpetrators or our advocacy for those silenced by oppression, ACAT remains a vital sanctuary for justice.
Of all the lessons I have learned, the most profound has been the importance of listening. Engaging with victims, politicians, and students alike inspired the "Partnership for Human Rights" project, ensuring ACAT remains a permanent point of contact for those in our multicultural society bearing the burden of human rights violations. As I transition from this role, I carry with me the wisdom of Václav Havel: hope is not the certainty of a specific outcome, but the unwavering belief that our work makes sense. It has been my greatest honor to lead this organization during its 40th anniversary, and I remain certain that ACAT’s mission will continue to illuminate the path toward a more humane world.
Ms. Fabienne President, ACAT Luxembourg
