What is the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment?

The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is an important human rights law that applies in South Carolina. This international treaty was adopted by the United Nations in 1984, and nearly every country in the world is party to it. The Convention puts forth standards to ensure that governments never engage in torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of persons within their control. The Convention requires signatory states to establish laws to criminalize and punish torture, and to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for torture. States must also ensure that victims of torture have the right to seek redress and obtain reparation for harm they have suffered. The Convention specifically prohibits torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment that is inflicted under any justification – such as national security, wartime, or in response to criminal behavior. The Convention serves to protect the human rights of persons within the state, and to ensure that people are never subject to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It is a powerful instrument in international human rights law and is respected both in the United States and throughout the world.

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