Convention against Torture 

The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) is an international treaty that mandates an absolute prohibition of torture worldwide and directs for the creation of the Committee Against Torture to monitor the implementation of the treaty globally.

Countries’ Obligations 

Countries that are parties to the UNCAT must take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture from occurring on their territories. The UNCAT specifies the following measures, among others:

• the prohibition and punishment of all acts of torture through appropriate laws and penalties in domestic criminal law
   
• the full integration of educational information about the prohibition against torture into the training of law enforcement personnel, civil or military, medical personnel, public officials and others who may be involved in the custody, interrogation or treatment of any individual subjected to any form of arrest, detention or imprisonment.
   
• the systematic review of interrogation rules, instructions, methods and practices, as well as of arrangements for the custody and treatment of suspects, detainees and prisoners
   
• guarantees for the prompt and impartial investigation of allegations of torture by competent authorities 
   
• the protection of witnesses 
   
• the possibility for victims to obtain redress and fair and adequate compensation and rehabilitation

In addition, countries that are parties to the UNCAT must not expel or return a person to another state where he or she might be tortured. Torture must be defined as an “extraditable” offense (where the alleged torturer may be expelled from the country in question to face consequences elsewhere). A country that is party to the UNCAT must establish its jurisdiction over crimes of torture committed in any part of its territory by one of its nationals or a foreign national present in its territory who has not been extradited. A State Party may also exercise jurisdiction over a foreign national located outside of the country who has perpetrated torture against one of its citizens.

The UNCAT provides for the establishment of an independent, international body, named the Committee against Torture, charged with the task of monitoring and promoting implementation of the treaty and receiving and investigating allegations of torture, with the co-operation of State Parties to the UNCAT. 
  
The Committee against Torture follows the below procedures, among others, for monitoring and reviewing actions taken by countries to fulfill their obligations.

• All States Parties to the UNCAT must submit periodic reports to the Committee which inform the recommendations later given by the Committee to the country in question.
   
• If the Committee gets reliable information that torture is being systematically practiced in the territory of a State Party to the UNCAT, it may initiate a confidential inquiry of the situation. Such an inquiry will be carried out in cooperation with the country concerned and will include visits to the country in question. This, procedure, however, is rarely used and all country visits require the consent of the State Party in question. In addition, all findings of the Committee yielded from this procedure remain confidential and cooperation of the State Party is sought at all times during the process. 
   
• The Committee can consider complaints from individuals who claim to be victims of a violation by a State Party to the UNCAT. This may be done only if the country concerned has declared that it recognizes the Committee as qualified to receive and examine such complaints.

As of May 2010, 146 nations have ratified the UNCAT. 

Campaign for the Ratification of the UN Convention against Torture

The global struggle against torture requires the active support and contribution of all.
 

Governments must be pressured to take responsibility for the prevention of torture and the provision of rehabilitation services and redress for victims of torture in their territories. The IRCT continues our long-standing campaign for the universal ratification of the UNCAT as a first step in this process.

Has your government ratified the UNCAT?

You can check the country-by-country status of the ratification of the Convention against Torture and the recognition by countries of the competence of the Committee against Torture at the website of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
 
On the same site you can also read the text of the UN Convention against Torture in its entirety.