Dag Hammarskjöld Library at Uppsala University
Torture
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No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, may be invoked as a justification of torture, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency. This principle is strongly underlined in the Convention against Torture, adopted by the United Nations in 1984 and entered into force in 1987. A committee of experts - The Committee Against Torture (CAT) - was established under the Convention and mandated to oversee and monitor the implementation by its State Parties. The Committee may also, under certain conditions, consider individual complaints.
In 1985, the Commission on Human Rights established a Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to examine, monitor and report on torture worldwide. This mechanism has now been assumed by the Human Rights Council.
The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture was established in 1981 to provide humanitarian assistance to victims of torture and their families. The Fund receives voluntary contributions from governments, NGOs and individuals.
Documentation
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT).
Documents of the Committee against Torture carry the following symbols:
CAT/- | Committee Against Torture |
Ex. CAT/C/55/Add.7 | Committee Against Torture. Country report, 55th session. Addendum 7 |
The State Parties are obliged to submit reports on the implementation of the Convention. for consideration by the Committee. These State Party Reports are posted under CAT in the Treaty Body Database at the UN official web site, Section Human Rights. Reports in print for earlier years are included in the UN Collection of the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, Uppsala, and the Libraries at UN Headquarters in New York and Geneva.
The Committee reports and comments are posted as Concluding Observations under CAT in the Treaty Body Database.
The official web site of the Committee Against Torture, under section Human Rights at the UN official web site, provides background information and news, full text reports and documents, conventions and protocols, lists of signatures and ratifications and reporting guidelines and a link to the Treaty Body Database.
Documents for recent years from the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are posted at the UN official web site, section Human Rights.
The official web site of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture can be accessed through the UN official web site, section Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, Issues, Torture.
Yearbook of the United Nations provides an overview of United Nations action against torture. A complete collection of yearbooks is held by the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, Uppsala, and the Libraries at UN Headquarters in New York and Geneva. Since October 2008 the complete full text collection of The United Nations Yearbooks is available online at http://unyearbook.un.org/.
Databases and Indexes
Full text documents related to the Convention against Torture can be retrieved from the Treaty Body Database, at
the UN official web site, section Human Rights.
The reports of the Special Rapporteur to the Human Rights Council can be accessed through the Charter Body database at the UN official web site, section Human Rights.
The UN Library online catalogue UNBISnet contains reports, documents and articles related to UN activities linking to full text for recent years. Subject search can be performed using relevant terms from the UNBIS THESAURUS.