Letter from the Committee against Torture discussing a request from the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The High Commissioner asked the Committee to ensure that the human rights mandate is maintained with high visibility in light of various State responses to the events of September 11th. In response to the High Commissioner's request, the Committee communicated directly with State parties.
[Letter appears to belong to another, more descriptive document].
UNCLASSIFIED REL
Letter from the High Commissioner dated 11 October 2001
Proposal by the Chairman of the Committee against Torture
By letter dated 11 October 2001, the High Commissioner for Human
Rights solicited the views of the Committee against Torture on the matter
of ensuring that the human rights covered by our mandate are maintained
with a high visibility in the light of various State responses to the
events of 11 September 2001.
It is in the spirit of this request that the Committee against Torture decided to communicate rectly with the State parties with the following statement:
Although mindful of the terrible threat to civilised society of
international terrorism, the Committee against_ Torture reminds
State parties of the non -derogable nature of most of the
obligations undertaken by them in ratifying the Convention against
Torture.
The obligations contained in Articles 2 and 15 are two such
provisions and must be observed in all circumstances.
The Committee against Torture is confident that whatever responses
to the threat of international terrorism are adopted by State
parties, such responses will be in conformity with the obligations
undertaken by them in ratifying the Convention against Torture.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DOS-001810
REVIEW AUTHORITY: CHARLES L DARIS
UNCLASSIFIED
DATE/CASE ID: 22 DEC 2004 200303827