The Council of Europe report says that there is “a great deal of coherent, convergent evidence pointing to the existence of a system of ‘relocation’ or ‘outsourcing’ of torture�.

Amnesty International is calling for the cooperation of all countries to ensure that they actively investigate what is happening - or may have happened - within their territory that may have facilitated torture.

Amnesty International's Regional Programmes Senior Director Claudio Cordone said:

“European countries have the duty to fully collaborate in the investigations of gross human rights violations committed in their own territory. Not cooperating with those investigations is tantamount to collaborating with the abuses.

Amnesty International supports the call of Dick Marty, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly Rapporteur, for a full committee of inquiry, with extensive investigatory powers.

Claudio Cordone added:

“The allegations that secret detention centres have existed in Europe, as Dick Marty has pointed out, come from varied and credible sources.

“Not even the US government has denied their existence. The issue now is what will be done about it.�