United Nations Convention Against Torture
| Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | |
|---|---|
states parties
states that have signed, but not ratified
states that have not signed | |
| Type | Human rights convention |
| Drafted | 10 December 1984 |
| Signed | 4 February 1985 |
| Location | New York |
| Effective | 26 June 1987 |
| Condition | 20 ratifications |
| Signatories | 83 |
| Parties | 174 |
| Depositary | UN Secretary-General |
| Languages | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish |
| Full text | |
| Convention against Torture at Wikisource | |
The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (commonly known as the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT)) is an international human rights treaty under the review of the United Nations that aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment around the world.
The Convention requires member states to take effective measures to prevent torture in any territory under their jurisdiction, and forbids member states to transport people to any country where there is reason to believe they will be tortured.
The text of the convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1984 and, following ratification by the 20th state party, it came into force on 26 June 1987. 26 June is now recognized as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, in honor of the convention. Since the convention's entry was enforced, the absolute prohibition against torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment has become accepted as a principle of customary international law. As of April 2024, the convention has 174 state parties.