Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment A/RES/74/143 17. Reminds all States that prolonged incommunicado detention or detention in secret places can facilitate the perpetration of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and can in itself constitute a form of such treatment, and urges all States to respect the safeguards concerning the liberty, security and dignity of the person and to ensure that prolonged incommunicado detention and secret places of detention and interrogation are abolished; 18. Emphasizes that conditions of detention must respect the dignity and human rights of persons deprived of their liberty, highlights the importance of reflecting on this in efforts to promote respect for and protection of the rights of persons deprived of their liberty, calls upon States to address an d prevent detention conditions amounting to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, notes in this regard concerns about solitary confinement, and encourages States to take effective measures to address overcrowding in detentio n facilities, which may have an impact on the dignity and human rights of persons deprived of their liberty; 19. Welcomes the establishment of national preventive mechanisms to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment , urges States to consider establishing, appointing, maintaining or enhancing independent and effective mechanisms that have experts with the required capabilities and professional knowledge to undertake monitoring visits to places of detention, inter alia , with a view to preventing acts of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and calls upon States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 7 to fulfil their obligation to designate or establish national preventive mechanisms at the latest one year after the entry into force of the Protocol or of its ratification or accession, that are truly independent, composed of experts with the required capabilities and professional knowledge, properly resourced and effective; 20. Calls upon all States to take appropriate effective legislative, administrative, judicial and other measures to prevent and prohibit the production, trade, export, import and use of equipment that has no practical use other than for the purpose of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; 21. Urges States, as an important element in preventing and combating torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, to ensure that no authority or official orders, applies, permits or tolerates any sanction, reprisal, intimidation or other prejudice against any person, group or association, including persons deprived of their liberty, for contacting, seeking to contact or having been in contact with any national or international monitoring or preventive body active in the prevention and combating of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; 22. Also urges States to ensure accountability for any act of sanction, reprisal, intimidation or other form of unlawful prejudicial conduct against any person, group or association, including persons deprived of their liberty, for cooperating, seeking to cooperate or having cooperated with any national or international monitoring or preventive body active in the prevention and combating of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, by ensuring impartial, prompt, independent and thorough investigations of any alleged act of sanction, reprisal, intimidation or other form of unlawful prejudicial conduct; to bring the perpetrators to justice; to provide access to effective remedies for victims, in accordance with their international human rights obligations and commitments; and to prevent any recurrence; __________________ 7 19-22243 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2375, No. 24841. 5/9