UN Says Laws Against Torture Eroding - Mar 18, 2005 Geneva

PolitInfo.com - UN Says Laws Against Torture Eroding - Mar 18, 2005 Geneva:

"In her report, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, expresses her dismay over what she says is the erosion of some of the clearest and most well-established human rights norms. In particular, she singles out the long-established prohibition on the use of torture, a norm so widely accepted that it has become a matter of customary international law.

But, Ms. Arbour says this absolute prohibition against torture appears to be slipping away. She says an increasing number of countries are questioning the very existence of this ban.

To counter this growing danger, she says the human rights community must insist that states implement their international legal obligation not to torture and to prevent others from torturing. She also urges countries to ratify the Optional Protocol against Torture. This protocol would allow independent experts to regularly visit places where people are in danger of being tortured."