UN Special Rapporteur highlights need for further investigation and participation of victims in fight against torture
http://www.irct.org
March 14, 2012

Last week, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, presented his annual report to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). The report focuses on identifying best practices for the implementation of commissions of inquiry and makes extensive references to the standards contained within the Istanbul Protocol as key in the establishment of an effective and independent commission of inquiry.

In his presentation to the HRC, Mr Mendez specifically noted that “the earlier work carried out on this subject including the adoption of the Istanbul Protocol… provide useful guidance both to States and the international community on national as well as international commissions of inquiry.”

During the interactive dialogue a number of issues were addressed including the relationship between commissions of inquiry and criminal justice processes; the need for more elaborate and binding standards for commissions of inquiry; and how commissions of inquiry can contribute to the development of an institutional human rights culture.

Read full article @ www.irct.org