A/69/387
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
23 September 2014
Original: English
Sixty-ninth session
Agenda item 68 (a)
Promotion and protection of human rights: implementation of
human rights instruments
Interim report of the Special Rapporteur on torture
and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment*
Note by the Secretary-General
Summary
The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit the interim report of the
Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on torture and cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. Méndez, submitted in accordance with
General Assembly resolution 68/156.
In the present report, the Special Rapporteur addressed the key role forensic
science plays regarding the obligation of States to effectively investigate and
prosecute allegations of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment. He elaborated on existing standards and guidelines on how effective
legal and medical investigations into allegations of torture a nd other ill-treatment
should be conducted, practical challenges observed during country visits and the
basic requirements for an effective implementation of those standards. Furthermore,
the Special Rapporteur elaborated on the role of forensic evidence i n legal
proceedings and on how to promote medical documentation of torture and other
ill-treatment and the application of the Manual on the Effective Investigation and
Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment (Istanbul Protocol).
* Late submission.
14-61535 (E)
091014
*1461535*