[psych-hr] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for expanded definition of torture

UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF CALLS FOR EXPANDED DEFINITION OF TORTURE
New York, Apr 28 2003  5:00PM

Declaring the current definition of torture in international conventions 
too vague, the top United Nations human rights official said today his 
office would submit an expanded definition that would show how to draw a 
line - a red line - that made clear that certain acts were not acceptable.

Even as it now stood in Article 1 of the Convention against Torture and 
Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the 
definition was not known as widely as it should be, UN High Commissioner 
for Human Rights Sergio Vieira de Mello said in an opening address to the 
spring session of the Committee against Torture in Geneva.

Although the Committee frequently advised countries to include that 
definition in their penal law, far too many had not done so, he added. 
Encouraging the Committee in its efforts to change that, he said he felt it 
was necessary to go beyond the definition contained in the Convention since 
it was still too vague, as he was sure all would agree. He hoped to submit 
to the Committee at its next session a contribution from his office on how 
to expand the definition.

Article 1 of the Convention, adopted and opened for signature, ratification 
and accession by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1984 and entering 
into force 26 June 1987, defines the term torture to mean "any act by which 
severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally 
inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third 
person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third 
person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating 
or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on 
discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or 
at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public 
official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not 
include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to 
lawful sanctions."

Mr. Vieira de Mello said the world was living in a period where the 
principles and norms enshrined in the international human rights 
instruments were becoming ever more relevant. It was vital to spread 
information on the contents of these instruments and to ensure that they 
were implemented, he added.


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