2 January 2013 - 12 March 2013

This e-learning course provides participants with knowledge of the international standards and international mechanisms for protection against torture. It explores the concepts of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment on the basis of international law and jurisprudence. The major sources of the latter are the European Court of Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Committee, the UN Committee against Torture and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The course also introduces the international mechanisms for protection against torture and CID treatment or punishment. It deals with four types of mechanisms: reviews by the UN statutory bodies; reviews of country reports before the UN treaty bodies; international complaints mechanisms and the mechanisms for prevention of torture and CID treatment or punishment at the UN, Council of Europe and national levels.

Course outline

Week 1: Formulation of the ban and its status as a norm of international law
Week 2: International mechanisms for protection against torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Week 3: The concept of torture
Week 4: Cruel and inhuman treatment
Week 5: Degrading treatment
Week 6: Inhuman or degrading punishment
Week 7: Positive duties of the states – I
Week 8: Positive duties of the states – II
Week 9: Standard and burden of proof of torture and CID treatment or punishment
Week 10: Prevention of torture and CID treatment or punishment: the UN and the Council of Europe systems
Week 11: National preventive mechanisms and the role of the NGOs

Level: professional

Location: Internet (e-learning course)

Participants: human rights defenders, NGO staff, staff of intern-governmental organisations with a mandate to prevent torture and ill-treatment, and law enforcement officials, prison officials and other professionals that work in closed institutions. Candidates should have a good written command of English and have high competence and comfort with computer and Internet use.

Tuition, fee, lodging: The course tuition fee is US$ 725; permanent residents of non-OECD countries are eligible for a discounted tuition rate of US$ 450. Tuition for auditors is US$ 275; permanent residents of non-OECD countries are eligible for a discounted tuition rate of US$ 175. Unfortunately, there are no scholarships available for this course. Further information and application form can be found at: www.hrea.org/protection-against-torture.

Contact Information:
Sandra Quintin
Distance Learning Programme
HREA
689 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139-3302
USA
Tel: +1 617 301-4379
Fax: +1 617 249-0278
E-mail: applications@hrea.org