A/RES/70/146
United Nations
Distr.: General
12 February 2016
General Assembly
Seventieth session
Agenda item 72 (a)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December 2015
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/70/489/Add.1)]
70/146. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming its previous resolutions on torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment,
Reaffirming also 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 humanitaria n 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 without territorial limitation 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 and the obligation of States to abide strictly by the definition of torture
contained in article 1, without prejudice to any international instrument or national
legislation which contains or may contain provisions of wider application, and
emphasizing the importance of properly interpreting and implementing the
obligations of States with respect to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment,
Recognizing that States must protect the rights of those facing criminal
sentences, including the death penalty and life imprisonment without the possibility
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United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1465, No. 24841.
15-16900 (E)
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