A/HRC/10/29
6.
Stresses that all allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment must be examined promptly and impartially by the competent
domestic authority, including where relevant through examination by forensic experts and
other relevant medical personnel, in order for those who encourage, order, tolerate or
perpetrate such acts to be held responsible, brought to justice and punished commensurate
with the severity of the offence;
7.
Urges States to establish effective investigation and documentation
procedures, and takes note of the Principles on the Effective Investigation and
Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment as a useful tool in this respect;
8.
Stresses that States must not punish or otherwise intimidate medical and
other health personnel for not obeying orders or instructions to commit, facilitate or conceal
acts amounting to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or
for speaking out against it;
9.
Urges all States to provide all persons deprived of their liberty, in prisons or
any other detention facility, with a professional medical examination at their admission to
and transfer between such facilities and thereafter on a regular basis as a means to help
prevent torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
10.
Also urges all States to provide all persons deprived of their liberty with
protection of their physical and mental health, treatment of any disease or care specifically
needed by persons with disabilities of the same quality and standard as are afforded to
persons not deprived of their liberty as a means to help prevent torture or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
11.
Recognizes that forensic investigation can play an important role in
combating impunity by providing the evidentiary basis on which prosecutions can
successfully be brought against persons responsible for violations of human rights and,
where applicable, international humanitarian law and encourages further coordination
concerning, inter alia, the planning and realization of such investigations, as well as the
protection of forensic and related experts, between Governments, intergovernmental
organizations and non-governmental organizations;
12.
Calls upon all States to ensure that education and information regarding the
absolute prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are
fully included in the training of medical and other health personnel who may be involved in
the custody, interrogation and treatment of any individual subjected to any form of arrest,
detention or imprisonment;
13.
Urges all States that have not yet become parties to the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to do so as a
matter of priority, and calls upon States parties to give early consideration to signing and
ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention;
14.
Welcomes the designation or establishment of independent national
preventive mechanisms to prevent torture, with the participation of relevant medical and
other health personnel, encourages all States that have not yet established such mechanisms
to do so and calls upon States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to fulfil their
obligation to designate or establish truly independent and effective national preventive
mechanisms;
15.
Requests the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment and other relevant special procedures and invites
relevant treaty bodies, within their respective mandates:
60
GE.09-17451
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