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Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

Latest

• 2008 Human Rights Council - Mission to Togo - A/HRC/7/3/Add.5
• 2008 Human Rights Council - Mission to Paraguay - A/HRC/7/3/Add.3
• 2008 Human Rights Council - Mission to Nigeria - A/HRC/7/3/Add.4
• 2007 General Assembly report - A/62/221
• 2007 General Assembly resolution - A/RES/61/153
• 2007 Human Rights Council main report - A/HRC/4/33
• 2007 Human Rights Council - Communications - A/HRC/4/33/Add.1
• 2007 Human Rights Council - Follow-up to recommendations - A/HRC/4/33/Add.2
• 2007 Human Rights Council - Mission to Jordan - A/HRC/4/33/Add.3
• 1985 Commission on Human Rights resolution - E/CN.4/RES/1985/33

Introduction

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, in resolution 1985/33, decided to appoint an expert, a special rapporteur, to examine questions relevant to torture. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur covers all countries, irrespective of whether a State has ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The mandate comprises three main activities: transmitting urgent appeals to States with regard to individuals reported to be at risk of torture, as well as communications on past alleged cases of torture; undertaking fact-finding country visits; and submitting annual reports on activities, the mandate and methods of work to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.

Unlike the complaints mechanisms of the human rights treaty monitoring bodies, the Special Rapporteur does not require the exhaustion of domestic remedies to act. When the facts in question come within the scope of more than one mandate established by the Commission, the Special Rapporteur may decide to approach other thematic mechanisms and country rapporteurs with a view to sending joint communications or seeking joint missions.

• Mr. Manfred Nowak, (Austria), 2004 - present
• Mr. Theo van Boven, (Netherlands), 2001 - 2004
• Sir. Nigel S. Rodley (United Kingdom), 1993-2001
• Sr. Peter Kooijmans (Netherlands), 1985-1993