A/HRC/2/2
A/HRC/Sub.1/58/36
page 67
10.
adoption:
Recommends the following draft decision to the Human Rights Council for
[For the text, see chap. I, draft decision 9.]
21st meeting
24 August 2006
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. VIII.]
Annex
PRINCIPLES ON THE PREVENTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
COMMITTED WITH SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS
Bearing in mind the primacy of international human rights law as codified in the
International Bill of Human Rights,
Recognizing that the right to life, liberty and security of the person is guaranteed in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reaffirmed in the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights,
Acknowledging that State agents, especially law enforcement officials, play a vital role in
the protection of the right to life, liberty and security of person,
Recalling that article 3 of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials provides
that law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent
required under the law for the performance of their duty,
Recalling also the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law
Enforcement Officials adopted in 1990 by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention
of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders,
Recalling further that the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime
and the Treatment of Offenders, in its resolution 14, emphasized that the use of force and
firearms by law enforcement agents should be commensurate with due respect for human rights,
Recalling that the Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 1986/10
of 21 May 1986, section IX, invited Member States to pay particular attention in the
implementation of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials to the use of force and
firearms by law enforcement officials, and the General Assembly, in its resolution 41/149
of 4 December 1986, welcomed the Council’s recommendation,
Acknowledging that paragraph 2 of the Principles on the Effective Prevention and
Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions requires the strict control,
including a clear chain of command over all officials responsible for apprehension, arrest,
detention, custody and imprisonment, as well as those officials authorized by law to use force
and small arms,
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