UNCAT Signature and Ratification Briefing Paper August 2014 This briefing provides background information on the Convention, and describes the main obligations deriving from ratification and the steps States should take on ratification. 1. What is the UN Convention against Torture? All Member States of the United Nations have pledged to achieve the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. The 1984 UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT) provides States with detailed provisions which establish the essential aspects of effective torture prohibition and prevention, to fulfil this shared promise. 2. What are the main obligations of the UN Convention against Torture? There are 16 substantive articles of the UNCAT and various additional procedural provisions. However, the principal obligations may be grouped together under the headings of prohibition, prevention, punishment, redress and reporting. A. Prohibition: The status of the absolute prohibition against torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is a non-derogable principle of international law. The prohibition includes not just the obligation of States not to torture (article 1), but also the corollary obligations not to send persons to places where they may be tortured (article 3), and the obligation not to benefit from the fruits of torture (article 15). States should ensure the absolute prohibition against torture is adequately reflected in their domestic legal order, and included in the training materials of all relevant State actors (article 10). 1

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