UN Human Rights Council 52nd Session
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Intervention by Denmark on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic countries
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Madam Special Rapporteur,
I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries.
From the outset, we would like to congratulate you on your appointment as new Special Rapporteur on Torture. We are committed allies in your important work to eradicate torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment globally.
We appreciate your efforts to shed light on the good practices in national criminalization, investigation, prosecution and sentencing for offences of torture.
The need to invest in training and education runs like a thread through the entire report and we could not agree more with you, as this is intrinsically linked to the duty to investigate enshrined in Article 12 of the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
Over the past year, many fundamental tools have either been developed or updated, such as the Méndez Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information Gathering or the updated Istanbul Protocol on Effective Investigation and Documentation. These tools – together with the many others already existing – merit to be widely known and used so as to give full effect to the principle of the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Madam Special Rapporteur,
What measures can the Human Rights Council along with other relevant UN bodies take to ensure that these tools are known and used through training and education?
Thank you.