A/RES/68/156
United Nations
Distr.: General
14 February 2014
General Assembly
Sixty-eighth session
Agenda item 69 (a)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2013
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/68/456/Add.1)]
68/156. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming that no one shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment,
Recalling that freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment is a non-derogable right under international law, including
international human rights law and international humanitarian law, that must be
respected and protected under all circumstances, including in times of international
or internal armed conflict or disturbance or any other public emergency, that the
absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment is affirmed in relevant international instruments and that legal and
procedural safeguards against such acts must not be subject to measures that would
circumvent this right,
Recalling also that the prohibition of torture is a peremptory norm of
international law and that international, regional and domestic courts have
recognized the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
as customary international law,
Recalling further the definition of torture contained in article 1 of the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment, 1 without prejudice to any international instrument or national
legislation which contains or may contain provisions of wider application,
Recognizing that redress depends upon and is obtained through prompt,
effective and impartial investigations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment and acknowledgement of the violations, and that
the provision of redress has an inherent preventive and deterrent effect in relation to
future violations,
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1
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1465, No. 24841.
13-44881 (E)
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