have. The success of the model in England and Wales resulted in its subsequent adoption in Australia, New Zealand, Norway and some parts of Canada.57 For example, Norwegian investigators, during the questioning of the suspect of a terror attack in 2011, applied non-coercive investigative interviewing techniques and obtained all the relevant information as a result of the interviews, underlining the effectiveness of this approach.58 25. In its Practical Manual for Law Enforcement Officers on Human Rights In Counterterrorism Investigations, published in 2013, and in its subsequent and ongoing training across the OSCE region, ODIHR advocates for training in interview techniques, such as the PEACE interview model, that improves the effectiveness of police interviews and enhances the human rights of suspects. Investigators and those who assist them should receive comprehensive training – backed up by regular refresher training – in general investigation techniques, including the interviewing of witnesses, the gathering of physical evidence and the packaging and handling of forensic exhibits, with an emphasis on ensuring the continuity of the evidence chain. Any improvement in dealing with witnesses and forensic evidence will reduce the reliance on obtaining confessions for the purpose of securing convictions.59 26. In his 2016 interim report to the UN General Assembly, Juan Mendez, the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, further underlined the need for investigative interviewing techniques by advocating for the development of a set of international guidelines for non-coercive interviews and associated safeguards: ”The [guidelines] must address the need to change the culture of tolerance and impunity for coerced confessions in such cases. National legislation must accept confessions only when made in the presence of competent and independent counsel (and support persons when appropriate) and confirmed before an independent judge (see A/HRC/13/39/Add.5 and A/HRC/4/33/ Add.3). Courts should never admit extrajudicial confessions that are uncorroborated by other evidence or that have been recanted (see A/HRC/25/60).”60 27. The guidelines, which were under development at the time of writing, will outline a framework for non-coercive interviewing and the implementation of associated 57 58 59 60 22 Ibid., p. 33. Richard Carver & Lisa Handley (eds), op. cit., note 13, p. 79. OSCE/ODIHR, op. cit., note 54, p. 111. UN General Assembly Seventy-first session, Interim report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of punishment, (2016) A/71/298 para 99.