• E4J University Module Series: Counter-Terrorism

• Module 9: Prohibition against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment

• Introduction and learning outcomes

• Key issues

• • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  • The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
  • Regional human rights instruments
  • International humanitarian law

• Exercises and case studies

• Possible class structure

• Core reading

• Advanced reading

• Student assessment

• Additional teaching tools

• References

 

Published in July 2018.

 

 

  This module is a resource for lecturers  

 

References

 

Cases

• African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACommHPR)
  • Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme et des Libertes v. Chad , Communication No. 74/1992, 11 October 1995.
  • International PEN, Constitutional Rights Project, Civil Liberties Organisation and Interights (on behalf of Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr) v. Nigeria , Communication Nos. 137/1994, 139/1994, 154/1996 and 161/1997. 31 October 1998.
  • Huri-Laws v. Nigeria , Communication No. 225/1998. 6 November 2000.
  • Curtis Francis Doebbler v. Sudan , Communication No. 236/2000. 4 May 2003.
  • Purohit and Moore v. The Gambia , Communication No. 241/2001. 29 May 2003.
  • Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum v. Zimbabwe , Communication No. 245/2002. 15 May 2006.
  • Article 19 v Eritrea , Communication No. 275/2003. 30 May 2007.

• European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
  • The Greek Case (Application Nos. 3321/67, 3322/67, 3323/67 and 3344/67). Yearbook of the European Convention on Human Rights, no. 12.
  • Ireland v. The United Kingdom (Application no. 5310/71), Judgment of 18 January 1978, Series A, no. 25.
  • Tyrer v. The United Kingdom (Application no. 5856/72), Judgment of 25 April 1978, Series, A, no. 26.
  • Tomasi v. France (Application No 12850/87), Judgment of 27 August 1992, ECtHR, Series A, no. 241-A.
  • Chahal v. The United Kingdom (Application no. 22414/93), Judgment (Grand Chamber) 15 November 1996.
  • Aksoy v. Turkey (Application no. 21987/93), Judgement of 18 December 1996
  • Aydin v. Turkey (57/1996/676/866), Judgment of 25 September 1997.
  • Osman v. The United Kingdom (87/1997/871/1083), Judgment of 28 October 1998.
  • Selmouni v. France (Application no. 25803/94), Judgment of 28 July 1999.
  • V. v. The United Kingdom (Application no. 24888/94), Judgment of 16 December 1999, Series A, no. 9.
  • Kudla v. Poland (Application no. 30210/96), Judgment of 26 October 2000.
  • Peers v. Greece (Application no. 28524/95), Judgment of 19 April 2001
  • Saadi v. Italy (Application No 37201/06), Judgment of 28 February 2008.
  • Xiros v. Greece (Application no. 1033/07), Judgment of 9 September 2010.

• Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACommHR)
  • Lizardo Cabrera v Dominican Republic , Case 10832, Report No. 35/96. 19 February 1998. OEA/Ser.L/V/II.98 doc. 6 rev.

• Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR)
  • Godínez-Cruz v. Honduras , Judgment of 20 January 1989, Series C, no. 5.
  • Raquel Martí de Mejía v. Peru , Case 10.970, Report No. 5/96. 1 March 1996. OEA/Ser.L/V/II.91 Doc. 7.
  • Loayza-Tamayo v. Peru , Judgment of 17 September 1997 (Merits).
  • Velásquez Rodríguez Case , Judgment of 29 July 1988, Series C, No. 4.
  • Gómez-Paquiyauri Brothers v. Peru , Judgment of 8 July 2004, Series C, no. 110
  • Tibi v. Ecuador , Judgment of 7 September 2004, Series C, no. 114.
  • Ximenes-Lopes v Brazil , Judgment of 4 July 2006, Series C, no. 149.
  • González et al. ("Cotton Field") v. Mexico (Preliminary Objection, Merits, Reparations, and Costs), Judgment of 16 November 2009.

• International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
  • Prosecutor v. Akayesu , Judgment (Trial Chamber), 2 September 1998, ICTR-96-4-T.
  • Prosecutor v. Musema , Judgment (Trial Chamber I), 27 January 2000, ICTR-96-13-A.

• International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
  • Prosecutor v Delalić and Others , Judgment (Trial Chamber), 16 November 1998, IT-96-21-T.
  • Prosecutor v. Furundzija , Trial Chamber, Judgment (Trial Chamber), 10 December 1998, IT-95-17/1-T.
  • Prosecutor v. Aleksovski , Judgment (Trial Chamber I), 25 June 1999, IT-95-14/1.
  • Prosecutor v. Kunarac, Kovać and Vuković , Judgment (Trial Chamber), 22 February 2001, IT-96-23-T andIT-96-23/1-T.
  • Prosecutor v. Kvočka and Others , Judgment (Trial Chamber), 2 November 2001, IT-98-30/1-T.
  • Prosecutor v. Krnojelac , Judgment (Trial Chamber), 15 March 2002, IT-97-25-T.
  • Prosecutor v Kunarac, Kovać and Vuković , Judgment (Appeals Camber), 12 June 2002, IT-96-23 & IT-96-23/1-A.
  • Prosecutor v Brđanin , Judgment (Trial Chamber II), 1 September 2004, IT-99-36.

• Judicial Committee of Privy Council
  
  • Pratt and Morgan v. Attorney General for Jamaica (Privy Council Appeal No. 10 of 1993), Judgment of November 1993, 2 AC 1.

• Special Court for Sierra Leone
  • Prosecutor v. Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu , Judgment (Trial Chamber II), 20 June 2007, SCSL-04-16-T.

• Supreme Court of India
  • Shatrughan Chauhan v. Union of India , 1 Writ Petition (Criminal) no. 55 of 2013, Judgment of 21 January 2014, 3 SCC 1.

• US Supreme Court
  • Hamdan v Rumsfeld , Decision of 29 June 2006, No. 05-184,548 US 557.

 

Conventions

• The Geneva Conventions . Treaty Series, vol. 75, p. 31, p. 85, p. 135 and p. 287, 12 August 1949.
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights . New York, 16 December 1966, Treaty Series, vo. 999, p. 171 and vol. 1057, p. 407.
• Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I) . Treaty Series, vol. 1125, no. 17512,8 June 1977.
• Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II) . Treaty Series, vol. 1125, no. 17513, 8 June 1977.
• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment . New York, 10 December 1984, Treaty Series, vol. 1465, p. 85.
• Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court . Rome, 17 July 1998, vol. 2187, p. 3.

 

Reports, comments and guidelines

• ACommHPR (2017). General Comment No. 4 on the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights: The Right to Redress for Victims of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Punishment or Treatment (Article 5) . 23 February - 4 March 2017. Banjul.
• Amnesty International (2018). Amnesty International Report 2017/18: The State of the World's Human Rights . London: Amnesty International Ltd.
• Council of Europe (2005). Council of Europe Guidelines on Human Rights and the Fight against Terrorism . Strasbourg: Directorate General of Human Rights.
• Council of European, Committee for the Prevention of Torture (2011). 21 ^st General Report of the CPT: 1 August 2010- 31 July 2011 .Strasbourg: CPT. 10 November.
• Council of Europe, European Commission (1973). East African Asians v. the UK, no. 4403/70. Commission Report of 14 December.

• Droege (2008). Transfers of detainees: legal framework, non-refoulement and contemporary challenges. International Review of the Red Cross. Volume 9. Number 871

• European Court of Human Rights (2018). Terrorism and the European Convention on Human Rights: Factsheet . May.
• Human Rights Watch (HRW) (2004). The Road to Abu Ghraib: A Policy to Evade International Law . 8 June.
• IACommHR (2002). Report on Terrorism and Human Rights . 22 October. OEA/Ser.L/V/II.116, Doc. 5 rev. 1 corr, 2003.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Rule 90. Torture, cruel or inhuman treatment and outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment, are prohibited .
• International Criminal Court (2011). Elements of Crimes . The Hague: ICC.
• The Istanbul statement on the use and effects of solitary confinement . Adopted on 9 December 2007 at the International Psychological Trauma Symposium, Istanbul.
• Law Commission of India (2017). " Implementation of 'United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment' through Legislation." Report No. 273, October.
• Niyizurugero, Jean-Baptiste, and Patrick Lesséne (2008). Robben Island Guidelines for the Prohibition and Prevention of Torture in Africa: Practical Guide for Implementation . Addis Ababa: Association for the Prevention of Torture.
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel (2002). " Memorandum for Alberto R Gonzales Counsel to the President, and William J. Haynes II General Counsel of the Department of Defense: Re: Application of Treaties and Laws to al Qaeda and Taliban Detainees." Washington D.C.: Office of the Assistant Attorney General. 22 January.

 

United Nations materials

• United Nations, Committee Against Torture
  • (1998). GRB v Sweden , Communication No. 83/1997. 15 May. CAT/C/20/D/083/1997.
  • (1999). Sadiq Shek Elmi v. Australia ,Communication No. 120/1998. 25 May. CAT/C/22/D/120/1998.
  • (2002). Marcos Roitman Rosenmann v. Spain (Decision on Admissibility) , Communication No. 176/2000 . 30 April. CAT/C/28/D/176/2000.
  • (2003). Conclusions and recommendations of the Committee against Torture: BELGIUM . 23 June. CAT/C/CR/30/6.
  • (2004(a)). Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties under Article 19 of the Convention, Conclusions and Recommendations of the Committee against Torture: Yemen . 5 February. CAT/C/CR/31/4.
  • (2004(b)). Conclusions and recommendations of the Committee Against Torture: The United Kingdom . 10 December. CAT/C/CR/33/3.
  • (2005). Ahmed Hussein Mustafa Kamil Agiza v. Sweden, Communication No. 233/2003. 24 May. CAT/C/34/D/233/2003.
  • (2006). Conclusions and recommendations of the Committee Against Torture: USA . 25 July. CAT/C/USA/CO/2.
  • (2008). General Comment No. 2: Implementation of article 2 by States parties . 24 January. CAT/C/GC/2.

• United Nations, Economic and Social Council, Commission on Human Rights
  • (1986). Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Report by the Special Rapporteur, Mr P. Kooijmans . 19 February. E/CN.4/1986/15.
  • (1992). Summary Record of the 21st Meeting . 21 February. E/CN.4/1992/SR.21.
  • (1995). Question of the Human Rights of All Persons subjected to any form of Detention or Imprisonment, in particular: torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Nigel S. Rodley . 12 January. E/CN.4/1995/34.
  • (2005). Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment Report of the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Manfred Nowak . 23 December. E/CN.4/2006/6.

• United Nations, General Assembly
  • (2005). Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment . 30 August. A/60/316.
  • (2011). Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment . 5 August. A/66/268.

• United Nations, Human Rights Committee
  • (1982). General Comment No. 6: Article 6 (Right to Life). 30 April.
  • (1989). Views of the Human Rights Committee under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant Communication No. 265/1987. 2 May. CCPR/C/35/D/265/1987.
  • (1990). John Wight v . Madagascar , Communication No. 115/1982. CCPR/C/OP/2.
  • (1992). General Comment No. 20: Article 7 (Prohibition of Torture, or Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment) . 10 March. A/44/40.
  • (1993). Thomas v. Jamaica , Communication No. 321/1988. 3 November. CCPR/C/49/D/321/1988
  • (1994). Mukong v. Cameroon , Communication No 458/1991. 21 July. CCPR/C/51/D/458/1991.
  • (1998(a)). Domukovsky et al v Georgia , Communication No. 623, 624, 626, 627/1995. 6 April. CCPR/C/62/D/623, 624, 626 & 627/1995.
  • (1998(b)). Deidrick v. Jamaica , Communication No. 619/95. 4 June.  CCPR/C/62/D/619/1995
  • (2002). MPS v. Australia , Communication No. 138/1999. A/57/44.
  • (2004(a)). General Comment No. 31: The Nature of the General Legal Obligation Imposed on States Parties to the Covenant . 26 May. CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.13.
  • (2004(b)). Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee: Benin . 1 December. CCPR/CO/82/BEN.
  • (2006). Mohammed Alzery v. Sweden , Communication No. 1416/2005. 10 November. CCPR/C/88/D/1416/2005.
  • (2011). Giri v Nepal , Communication No. 1761/2008CCPR. 27 April. CCPR/C/101/D/1761/2008.
  • (2012). El Hagog Jumaa v Libya , Communication No. 1755/2008. 10 July. CCPR/C/104/D/1755/2008/Rev1.

• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
  • (2014). Human Rights and Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism . New York: United Nations.
  • (2017). Kenya: Human Rights and Criminal Justice Reponses to Terrorism . New York: United Nations.

• United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2017). Committee against torture examines report of Cameroon . 9 November.

 

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