URGENT UPDATE: The United Nations has issued a critical warning regarding the presence of torture devices at the Milipol 2025 arms and security fair held in Paris from November 18 to 21, 2025. UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, has called for immediate action to ensure these abusive tools do not reach law enforcement agencies worldwide.
Edwards highlighted that equipment like direct-contact electric shock devices and multi-barrel launchers, found on display at the fair, are designed to inflict unnecessary suffering and should be banned. “Their trade and promotion should be prohibited across all 27 EU Member States and globally,” she stated, underscoring the urgent need for rigorous oversight.
The UN’s concerns arise from a broader context of growing scrutiny over human rights violations linked to security forces. As governments increasingly employ such devices against political dissidents, the implications for global human rights standards are severe.
The Milipol exhibition showcased a range of inherently abusive items, including electric shock weapons and spiked anti-riot shields, marketed by companies from regions including Brazil, China, France, and the United States. Edwards noted that under the EU Anti-Torture Regulation, companies are already banned from promoting such equipment, yet the fair revealed a troubling disregard for these regulations.
“It is grotesque that such products even exist. This trade in human cruelty should be completely banned,”
declared Dr. Simon Adams, President and CEO of the Center for Victims of Torture. His organization, which supports survivors of torture, is backing Edwards’ campaign for a global ban on these dangerous devices.
Despite swift action from Milipol organizers to remove offending items upon notification, the fact that they were present at all emphasizes the need for continuous vigilance. Edwards insists that without international regulation, companies will simply find new markets for their abusive products.
“The discoveries made at Milipol show why a global, legally binding Torture-Free Trade Treaty is essential,” Edwards asserted. “We must establish robust monitoring and enforce bans consistently.”
In light of these revelations, the UN is urging all organizers of security and policing exhibitions to strengthen oversight and cooperate with independent investigations. The implications for human rights are critical, as the devices showcased are often employed in regimes known for severe human rights abuses.
As the international community grapples with these issues, the call for urgent reform in the arms trade is more pressing than ever. The ongoing promotion of torture devices poses a direct threat to human dignity and safety worldwide.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as the UN continues to monitor the situation and advocates for a crackdown on the trade of torture equipment.
