4 General Assembly Resolution 57/199 on the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of 18 December 2002 The General Assembly Recalling article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights33, article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights34, the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment35 and its resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984, by which it adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and all its subsequent relevant resolutions, Reaffirming that freedom from torture is a right that must be protected under all circumstances, Considering that the World Conference on Human Rights, held at Vienna from 14 to 25 June1993, firmly declared that efforts to eradicate torture should first and foremost be concentrated on prevention and called for the early adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, intended to establish a preventive system of regular visits to places of detention, Welcoming the adoption of the draft optional protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 2002/33 of 22 April 200236 and by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 2002/27 of 24 July 2002, in which the Council recommended to the General Assembly the adoption of the draft optional protocol, 1. Adopts the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment contained in the annex to the present resolution, and requests the Secretary-General to open it for signature, ratification and accession at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 1 January 2003; Resolution 217 A (III). cf. Resolution 2200 A (XXI), Annex 35 Resolution 3452 (XXX), Annex 36 cf. Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2002, Supplement No. 3 (E/2002/23), Ch. II, Part A. 33 34 96