CDL-AD(2006)009
-2TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
SECTION I: THE LEGAL REGIME ......................................................................................4
A.
a.
b.
c.
d.
B.
General principles ...........................................................................................................4
Regular inter-State transfers of prisoners.....................................................................4
Irregular inter-State transfers of prisoners ...................................................................8
International co-operation in the fight against terrorism.............................................9
Some observations on State responsibility ................................................................10
Human rights law..........................................................................................................11
The rights at issue........................................................................................................11
i) Liberty and security of person................................................................................12
ii) Torture, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment...................................13
b. Scope of the duty of Council of Europe member States to secure human rights.....15
c. Limitations on the competence to transfer prisoners imposed by human rights
obligations............................................................................................................................16
d. Derogations .................................................................................................................17
a.
C.
International Humanitarian law.................................................................................19
D.
General principles of civil aviation .............................................................................20
E.
Military bases.................................................................................................................25
F.
Article V of the NATO Treaty.....................................................................................26
SECTION II – THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF COUNCIL OF
EUROPE MEMBER STATES................................................................................................27
A. Council of Europe member States’ obligations in respect of arrests by
foreign authorities on their territory...................................................................................27
B. Council of Europe member States’ obligations in respect of alleged secret
detention facilities ..................................................................................................................28
C. Council of Europe member States’ obligations in respect of inter-state transfers
of prisoners .............................................................................................................................31
CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................35