Annan stresses treaty ban on sending suspects to countries where they risk torture

The prohibition of torture is non-negotiable, and that includes an absolute ban on transferring anybody to another jurisdiction where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person is at risk of torture, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message on the International Day in Support for Victims of Torture.

“Torture, in all its forms, and in all contexts, is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated,” Mr. Annan declared in the message marking the Day, held annually on 26 June.

“For the United Nations, whose founders reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights and the dignity of the human person, preventing and stamping out torture is a vital objective,” he added.

Mr. Annan emphasized Article 3 of the Convention against Torture entailing an absolute ban on transferring people to other jurisdictions where they could face torture.

In a joint statement on the Day UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and several UN experts declared that torture is being reported with growing frequency in all regions of the world.