A/RES/55/89 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 22 February 2001 Fifty-fifth session Agenda item 114 (a) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/55/602/Add.1)] 55/89. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment The General Assembly, Recalling article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 2 the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 3 and its resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984, by which it adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and all its subsequent relevant resolutions, Recalling that freedom from torture is a right that must be protected under all circumstances, including in times of internal or international disturbance or armed conflict, Recalling also that the World Conference on Human Rights, held at Vienna from 14 to 25 June 1993, firmly declared that efforts to eradicate torture should, first and foremost, be concentrated on prevention and called for the early adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which is intended to establish a preventive system of regular visits to places of detention, 4 Urging all Governments to promote the speedy and full implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, 5 in particular the section relating to freedom from torture, in which it is stated that States should abrogate legislation leading to impunity for those responsible for grave violations of human rights, such as torture, and prosecute such violations, thereby providing a firm basis for the rule of law, 6 1 Resolution 217 A (III). See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 3 Resolution 3452 (XXX), annex. 4 A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III, sect. II, para. 61. 5 Ibid., chap. III. 6 Ibid., sect. II, paras. 54-61. 2 00 56473