The ICJ, REDRESS and OMCT have submitted information to the UN Committee against Torture in advance of its examination of the combined 3rd to 5th periodic reports of the USA under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT).
The joint submission draws the Committee’s attention to issues concerning the CIA ‘Rendition, Detention and Interrogation’ Program, detention at Guantanamo Bay, and Military Commission proceedings. It identifies key violations of the CAT, including those concerning:
- Article 13 on the right to complain of torture;
- Article 14 on the right to redress for torture and ill-treatment;
- Article 9 concerning failures to cooperate with criminal investigations in other jurisdictions;
- Article 15 on the prohibition against the use of evidence obtained by torture.
The Committee will examine the combined third to fifth periodic reports of the United States of America during its 53rd session in November 2014, following which it will adopt Concluding Observations setting out recommendations to the Government.
USA-CAT53-LegalSubmission-2014-EN (download full submission in PDF)