A/RES/67/188
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners
Prisoners 2 have been of value and influence in the development of correctional laws,
policies and practices,
Convinced that prisons should be used as a punishment only for individuals
who have committed serious offences or when necessary to protect the public,
Convinced also that specific efforts should be made to use alternative
measures, in accordance with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for
Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules), 3
Taking into account the progressive development of international instruments
pertaining to the treatment of prisoners since 1955, in particular the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 4
and the Optional Protocol thereto, 5
Taking into account also the relevance of the procedures for the effective
implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners,
approved by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1984/47 of 25 May
1984, the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of
Detention or Imprisonment, 6 the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners, 7
the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty 8
and the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and
Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules), 9
Taking into account further the work carried out by the Latin American
Standing Committee of the International Penal and Penitentiary Foundation for the
revision and updating of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners, presented to the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice, held in Salvador, Brazil, from 12 to 19 April 2010, as well as
the 2011 study on the extent of implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules by
African countries, conducted by the African Institute for the Prevention of Crime
and the Treatment of Offenders,
Taking note with appreciation of the development by the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime of the handbook for prison leaders, the handbook on the
international transfer of sentenced persons, the handbook on strategies to reduce
prison overcrowding (in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red
Cross) and the handbook on the prevention of recidivism and the social reintegration
of offenders,
Expresses appreciation for the replies of Member States to the request to
1.
exchange information on best practices and on the revision of existing United
Nations standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners;
Takes note of the work done by the high-level expert group meeting held
2.
in Santo Domingo from 3 to 5 August 2011 and the expert group meeting held in
Vienna on 6 and 7 October 2011;
_______________
2
Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments, Volume I (First Part), Universal Instruments
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4 (Vol. I, Part 1)), sect. J, No. 34.
3
Resolution 45/110, annex.
4
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1465, No. 24841.
5
Ibid., vol. 2375, No. 24841.
6
Resolution 43/173, annex.
7
Resolution 45/111, annex.
8
Resolution 45/113, annex.
9
Resolution 65/229, annex.
2/4