UN Special Rapporteur on Torture The International Struggle

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture The International Struggle against Torture & UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak Professor for International Human Rights Protection, University of Vienna Director, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights, Vienna UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Vienna, 17 March 2009 Vienna, 1 April 2009

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture OVERVIEW 1. Definition of Torture 2. Development of International Legal Instruments against Torture 3. Prohibition of Torture as an absolute and non-derogable Right 4. Challenge September 11 - A Paradigm Shift? 5. Challenging the Prohibition of Torture and CIDT by Narrowing the Definition 6. The “Ticking Bomb Scenario” 7. Outsourcing of Torture 8. Non-Refoulement Principle & Diplomatic Assurances 9. Secret Places of Detention & CIA Rendition Programmes 10. “Tainted Fruits of the Poisonous Tree”-Theory 11. UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 12. Fact-Finding Missions 13. Lessons Learned 14. Questions & Answers

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 1. DEFINITION OF TORTURE (ART. 1 CAT) a) Causing of severe physical and/or mental pain or suffering b) State responsibility c) Intention; applied to achieve a certain purpose (confession, information, intimidation, discrimination…) d) Powerlessness, defenselessness of the victim, which is completely in the torturer’s power (especially during detention) → direct attack on the victim’s dignity and personal integrity → specific form of violence → examples: „Palestinian Hanging” Abu-Ghraib (prisoner at dog leash)

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 1. PROHIBITION OF TORTURE AS AN ABSOLUTE AND NON-DEROGABLE RIGHT IN INTERNATIONAL LAW a) Absolute vs. Relative Rights e. g. freedom of expression, right to life, prohibition of torture and slavery; b) Non-derogable vs. Other Rights e. g. personal liberty, right to life (Art. 15 ECHR), prohibition of torture, prohibition of retro-activity of penal laws; c) Torture vs. Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CIDT) “relativity” of CIDT (principle of proportionality) d) Reasons for the special Protection of the Prohibition of Torture as Ius Cogens Middle Ages → gradual elimination from criminal law National Socialism → absolute prohibition Chile → special protection mechanisms (criminal law, prevention, victim protection, fact finding) Bosnia → international criminal tribunals, systematic torture as a crime against humanity;

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 2. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS AGAINST TORTURE After World War II: Absolute prohibition of torture and illtreatment in international human rights law a) Article 5 UDHR 1948 b) Article 3 ECHR 1950 c) Article 7 CCPR 1966 d) Article 5 ACHR 1969 1970 s: Systematic practice of torture in many parts of the world, in particular during the military dictatorships in Latin America. Campaign against Torture by Amnesty International and other NGOs

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 2. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS AGAINST TORTURE (cont. ) → Impunity a) Declaration against Torture 1975 b) Convention against Torture (CAT) 1984 Article 4: Obligation to criminalize torture Article 5 -9: Territorial, personal and universal jurisdiction c) Rome Statute of an International Criminal Court 1998 Systematic or widespread practice of torture as crime against humanity

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture → 2. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS AGAINST TORTURE (cont. ) Rights of victims a) Right to a remedy Art 13 CAT investigation by competent authorities (not necessarily criminal justice) “Police – police” b) Right to reparation Art 14 CAT rehabilitation satisfaction compensation Directed against States and individual perpetrators (universal civil jurisdiction)

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 2. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS AGAINST TORTURE (cont. ) → Prevention a) Convention against Torture 1984 Article 3: non-refoulement Article 10: training of law enforcement personnel Article 11: modernization of interrogation techniques Article 15: non-applicability of information extracted by torture b) Preventive visits to places of detention ICRC Jean-Jacques Gautier Draft Costa Rica Protocol 1980 European Convention for the Prevention of Torture 1987 OPCAT 2002

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 2. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS AGAINST TORTURE (cont. ) → Strengthening of international monitoring a) UN Committee against Torture monitoring States parties to CAT: since 1987 State reporting procedure Inter-State complaints procedure Individual complaints procedure Inquiry procedure b) UN Special Rapporteur against Torture monitoring all States: since 1985 Individual communications & Fact finding missions Reporting and awareness raising c) UN Sub-Committee on Prevention: since 2006

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 2. ADDED VALUE OF OPCAT (cont. ) a) Deterrent effect of unannounced visits to places of detention b) Combination of UN Sub-Committee on Prevention and National Preventive Mechanism c) Making places of detention transparent d) Cooperation between NPM and prison authorities e) Reporting on visits f) Standardisation of minimum conditions of humane detention

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 3. THE UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE • UN Special Procedure – Serve in their individual capacity – Independent, impartial Experts • Tasks – – Fact Finding Missions (see next slide) Communications: Urgent Appeals & Letters of Allegations Reports to UN General Assembly & Human Rights Council Promotion of OPCAT and other preventive mechanisms • Created by UN Commission on Human Rights (Res 1985/33) • Appointed by Commission on Human Rights/Human Rights Council • 3 years with one possible renewal

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 4. FACT-FINDING MISSIONS • Invitation of the State • Terms of Reference – Freedom of movement – Freedom of inquiry • Access to all places of detention • Contacts with all branches of government; • Contacts with representatives of NGOs, other private institutions and the media; • Confidential and unsupervised contact • Full access to all documentary material – Assurance by the Government against reprisals – Appropriate security arrangements

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 12. FACT-FINDING MISSIONS (cont. ) Arctic Ocean Franz Josef Land Svalbard (Nor. ) Novaya Zemlya Jan Mayen (Nor. ) Victoria Island Norway Faroe Is. (Den. ) Finland Iceland Russia Island of Newfoundland Aleutian Islands (USA) Kuril Islands Mongolia North Pacific Ocean Mexico Cuba Guantanamo Guatemala El Salvador Algeria Jordan The Bahamas Nicaragua Barbados Trinidad and Tobago Guyana Suriname French Guiana (Fr. ) Senegal The Gambia Guinea-Bissau Guinea Venezuela Sierra Leone Liberia Togo Ecuador Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) Mali Niger Zaire Malawi French Polynesia (Fr. ) March 07 Tanzania Paraguay Feb. 05 Laos Thailand Oct. 06 China Philippines Nov. 05 Federated States of Micronesia Sri Lanka Brunei Maldives Nepal Malaysia Sep. 05 Indonesia Papua New Guinea Seychelles Solomon Zimbabwe Madagascar Mauritius Uruguay Argentina South Atlantic Ocean Sudan Equatorial Guinea New Caledonia Australia Oct. 07 Îles Crozet (France) Nov South Georgia (adm. by UK, claimed by Argentina) 08 Antarctica Indonesia Sri Lanka Dec. 2007 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (adm. by UK, claimed by Argentina) Kiribati Islands Fiji Indian Ocean South Africa Lesotho Chile Marshall Islands Guam (USA) Singapore Swaziland Paraguay South Pacific Ocean Vietnam Cambodia Andaman Islands (India) Mozambique Zambia Namibia Botswana Georgia Taiwan Myanmar (Burma) Burundi Angola Nigeria Bang. Kenya Rwanda Congo Bolivia India Somalia Uganda Brazil Peru U. A. Arabia. E. Oman Ethiopia C. A. R. Sao Tome & Principe North Pacific Ocean Bhu. Yemen Cameroon Ghana Togo Eq. Guinea Pakistan Djibouti Benin Côte D’Ivoire Nigeria Gabon April 07 Eritrea Sudan Chad Burkina Faso Nepal Qatar Saudi Mauritania Haiti. Puerto Rico (US) Dominica Kuwait Japan China Afghanistan Iran Egypt June 06 Jam. Belize Honduras Colombia Libya Western Sahara (Mor. ) Dominican Republic Costa Rica Panama Jordan N. Korea S. Korea Cyp. Leb. Syria Iraq Israel Tunisia Morocco Canary Islands (Sp. ) Mongolia June 05 North Atlantic Ocean USA Feb. 2006 60° Estonia Latvia Lithuania Ireland Belarus Neth. Poland Bel. Germany Ukraine Czech. Slovak. Aus. Hung. Kazakhstan Moldova France Switz. Slov. Romania Cro. Yugo. Bos. Uzbekistan Georgia Bulgaria Italy Mac. Kyrgyzstan Armenia Azerbaijan Albania Spain Turkmenistan Tajikistan Portugal Greece Turkey Sweden United Kingdom Den. Canada U. S. A. Wrangel Island Baffin Island U. S. A. Hawaiian Islands Oct. 06 Arctic Ocean New Siberian Islands July. 08 Severnaya Zemlya May 08 Ocean Arctic Greenland (Den. ) Banks Island Russia Moldova Denmark Ellesmere Island New Zealand Tasmania Nov. 07

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 13. LESSONS LEARNED • Team composition – Human Rights Experts – Forensic Expert – Interpreters (local dialects? !) – Gender Balance • Importance of forensic medical expertise – Forensic doctor as team member – Own contribution during Government debriefing – Usage of photos without disclosing victim’s identity • Importance of cooperating with the NGO sector – Most important source of information – Huge diversity

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 13. LESSONS LEARNED (cont. ) • Access to the facility – – – Lack of information or malevolent delay Courtesy vs. Effectiveness Letter of Authorization Phone number of superior (e. g. Minister of Interior) Information leaflet • Schedule of Visits to Places of Detention – – Prison Register and Documents Disciplinary Cells Protection of victims and witnesses First Prisons, then Police Stations • Use of technology in detention facilities – Audio & video recording devices – High resolution photo cameras (name tags, blackboards…)

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 13. LESSONS LEARNED (cont. ) • Interviewing – – – Selection of place for interview Conduct of interview Compassionate interviewing vs. time constraints Confidentiality v. reporting => Risks for detainees Informed consent Follow-up possible? • Be prepared for “smoking guns” – How to react when discovering ongoing torture? – Ensure proper Follow-up • Cultural/social diversity – – “What’s the UN? ” “UN Special Rapporteur? ” Same words - different meaning, e. g. “detainee” Adapt language to local particularities Different Understanding of Justice => how far to get involved into a case?

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Question & Answers Discussion

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, OHCHR/Geneva: http: //www. ohchr. org/english/issues/torture/rapporteur/ Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights, Vienna: http: //univie. ac. at/bim