Role of forensic and medical sciences in the investigation prevention torture and other ill-treatment 2014, para. 37
Paragraph- Paragraph text
- In many jurisdictions, the forensic services are closely linked with law enforcement agencies and criminal forensic investigations are undertaken in-house by police services. If medical staff, including forensic doctors, serve under law enforcement or security agencies or the prison sector, they are under the same employer as the officers in charge of interrogating and holding detainees. They may have conflicted loyalty between their employer and their professional obligation to report torture or ill-treatment, out of fear of jeopardizing their employment or other reprisals. In the context of allegations of torture or other ill-treatment, the provision of forensic services from within the police force and lack of independent oversight has been criticised by the Special Rapporteur on previous occasions and the mandate has recommended that systems be reorganised to ensure independence from the police. In addition, in those cases, it should be mandatory to submit the person to an independent assessment, external from prison medical services.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Year
- 2014
- Paragraph type
- Other
- Paragraph number
- 37
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