IT is Amnesty International's 40th anniversary year and in this year we are running our worldwide campaign to "Stamp Out Torture".

Torture is still committed in two-thirds of the world's countries today. Often people are tortured because of who they are and what they believe in, rather than for information -- often tortured simply because of their sexual identity. The true extent of this was revealed on June 22, in Amnesty's first ever report on this issue.

Such torture is a worldwide problem, but one which is greatly unreported. It is shrouded in secrecy, as the stigma surrounding homosexuality in many cultures means that homophobic violence often goes unreported, uninvestigated, unchallenged.

Shockingly, more than 70 countries around the world criminalise homosexuality. Torture feeds off this discrimination.

Amnesty International is calling on governments worldwide to prevent torture and to challenge discrimination. Our Government can use their influence with other governments by repealing the remaining laws in the UK which criminalise on the basis of sexual orientation and guaranteeing everyone in the UK a legal right to freedom from discrimination.

We ask your readers to add their voice to ours to say that torture and discrimination are always wrong.

Bolton Amnesty

International