Omega Research Foundation
produces a written report for the State in question. Although the reports are confidential, countries
are encouraged to make them public. 21
The Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council are independent experts who analyse human
rights around the world. They include the Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Special Rapporteur on
the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, and the Special Rapporteur on
Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions. The Special Rapporteurs make fact-finding visits to
UN Member States and report on their findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC)
and the General Assembly. 22
The European Committee for Prevention of Torture (CPT) visits places of detention in Council of
Europe (CoE) Member States and reports on the conditions and treatment of people deprived of their
liberty. Following their visits, the CPT produces a report for the State in question, and although the
reports are confidential, most States publish the report and their response. The CPT also produces an
annual public report on its activities. 23
The reports produced by these bodies include example cases and information on misuse of a range of
weapons and equipment, and provide recommendations on appropriate use of force.
Developments in international, regional and national trade controls addressing the trade
in various types of law enforcement equipment:
UN: The development of an international framework to address the trade in tools of torture is now
being carried forward by the UN. In 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/73/L.94,
Towards torture-free trade: examining the feasibility, scope and parameters for possible common
international standards. 24 The UN Secretary General’s report subsequent to the Resolution analysed
Member States’ views, and was published in 2020. It noted that most of the States that responded
“supported the proposal to establish common international standards”. In addition, a majority of
these responding States were in favour of a “legally binding instrument establishing measures to
control and restrict trade in goods used for capital punishment, torture or other forms of illtreatment.” 25
EU: Regulation (EU) 2019/125 concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital
punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Anti-torture
regulation). 26 The EU Regulation prohibits the trade in certain inherently abusive equipment and
controls (through licensing) the trade in other specified equipment that could be misused. Under the
Regulation, EU Member States are able to introduce stricter controls on certain types of equipment if
21
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Pages/OPCATIntro.aspx.
22
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Introduction.aspx.
23
https://www.coe.int/en/web/cpt/about-the-cpt.
UN General Assembly, Towards torture-free trade: examining the feasibility, scope and parameters for possible
common international standards, seventy-third session, 21 June 2018, A/73//L/94.
24
UN General Assembly, Towards torture-free trade: examining the feasibility, scope and parameters for possible
common international standards, 28 June 2020.
25
EU, Regulation (EU) 2019/125 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 January 2019 concerning
trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment, PE/59/2018/REV/1, OJ L 30, 31.1.2019, p. 1–57.
26
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