Copenhagen 1990
(16) The participating States
(16.1) - reaffirm their commitment to prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment, to take effective legislative, administrative, judicial
and other measures to prevent and punish such practices, to protect individuals from
any psychiatric or other medical practices that violate human rights and fundamental
freedoms and to take effective measures to prevent and punish such practices;
(16.2) - intend, as a matter of urgency, to consider acceding to the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, if they
have not yet done so, and recognizing the competences of the Committee against Torture under articles 21 and 22 of the Convention and withdrawing reservations regarding the competence of the Committee under article 20;
(16.3) - stress that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war
or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be
invoked as a justification of torture;
(16.4) - will ensure that education and information regarding the prohibition against
torture are fully included in the training of law enforcement personnel, civil or military,
medical personnel, public officials and other persons who may be involved in the custody, interrogation or treatment of any individual subjected to any form of arrest, detention or imprisonment;
(16.5) - will keep under systematic review interrogation rules, instructions, methods
and practices as well as arrangements for the custody and treatment of persons subjected to any form of arrest, detention or imprisonment in any territory under their
jurisdiction, with a view to preventing any cases of torture;
(16.6) - will take up with priority for consideration and for appropriate action, in accordance with the agreed measures and procedures for the effective implementation of the
commitments relating to the human dimension of the CSCE, any cases of torture and
other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment made known to them through
official channels or coming from any other reliable source of information;
(16.7) - will act upon the understanding that preserving and guaranteeing the life and
security of any individual subjected to any form of torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment will be the sole criterion in determining the urgency and
priorities to be accorded in taking appropriate remedial action; and, therefore, the consideration of any cases of torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment within the framework of any other international body or mechanism may not be
invoked as a reason for refraining from consideration and appropriate action in accordance with the agreed measures and procedures for the effective implementation of the
commitments relating to the human dimension of the CSCE.
(17) The participating States
74 OSCE Human Dimension Commitments
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