UN Report Reveals Alarming Use of Torture Weapons Against Protesters in Europe

Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, reported in a shocking report about the widespread use of torture weapons by security forces to suppress street protests in European and neighboring countries. This report highlighted instances, including the use of explosive hand grenades in France, and emphasized that 20 types of torture instruments have been banned by the UN; however, unfortunately, 76 companies from 23 European countries and other global powers continue to produce and export them…

Brutal Suppression of Protests Amid Democratic Fluctuations

Alice Jill Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on torture, in a report published on October 2, 2025, titled the Use of Torture Weapons to Suppress Street Protests in European Countries, announced that alongside democratic fluctuations and demands for social changes in Europe, peaceful protests are increasingly being controlled with greater severity.

According to the report, security forces among EU member states and peripheral countries are trying to curb demonstrations through often brutal tactics and the use of weapons and tools that serve no purpose other than inflicting excessive pain.

The report presented alarming examples of police conduct in Serbia, Georgia, Belarus, and Turkey and emphasized that even EU member countries are not exempt. For example, in France, several people have been injured and killed due to the throwing of explosive hand grenades by the police.

UN’s Blacklist and Profitable Trade

The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture reported that following investigations, a list of 20 types of torture instruments has been approved by the UN, and their use is prohibited. Edwards emphasized that the production of these items must be halted. However, reports indicate that the prohibited items are displayed for sale at major arms and security exhibitions in France and Britain, which requires monitoring of sales and usage to purchasing countries.

Production of Prohibited Instruments by 76 European Companies

Despite the inclusion of the aforementioned items in the new list of prohibited items by the European Union, unfortunately, these tools continue to be produced and sold by 76 companies from 23 European countries. Other major producers and exporters of such items include countries: China, Israel, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

According to existing statistics, the revenue generated from the sale of these tools is expected to grow at an annual rate of eight percent, reaching 27 billion dollars by the year 2028, reflecting the extensive dimensions of this inhumane trade.