These guidelines are a practical tool for policymakers and justice sector stakeholders to support them in the establishment of an effective national system of investigations of allegations of ill-treatment by law-enforcement bodies with a view to fight impunity.
They are based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, the standards of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and other authoritative international sources as the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
PREFACE
ABBREVIATIONS
GUIDELINES ON INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Legal basis
I. The origins of the obligation to investigate ill-treatment
1.1 The absolute prohibition of ill-treatment
1.2 The obligation to investigate ill-treatment
II. Facilitating prospects for effective investigation and access to investigative mechanisms
2.1 General considerations
2.2 The fundamental safeguards against ill-treatment
2.3 Other arrangements
III. The investigation: grounds and purposes
3.1 Grounds for investigation
3.2 Principal purposes of investigations
IV. Measuring effectiveness: the key criteria
4.1 Independence and impartiality
4.2 Thoroughness
4.3 Promptness
4.4 Competence
4.5 Victim involvement and public scrutiny
V. Forms of investigation and punishment
5.1 Procedural forms of investigation
5.2 Investigative systems
VI. Guaranteeing effectiveness
VII. Obligation to deter
7.1 Legislative framework
7.2 Adequacy of punishment
APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Combating impunity
Appendix 2: Independent and effective determination of complaints against the police
Appendix 3: Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Appendix 4: Implementation of Article 2 of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or punishment by States parties
Appendix 5: Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on eradicating impunity for serious human rights violations
Appendix 6: Documenting and reporting medical evidence of ill-treatment
These guidelines are a practical tool for policymakers and justice sector stakeholders to support them in the establishment of an effective national system of investigations of allegations of ill-treatment by law-enforcement bodies with a view to fight impunity.
They are based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, the standards of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and other authoritative international sources as the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
