A/RES/63/185
to countries without individual assessment of the risk of there being substantial
grounds for believing that they would be in danger of subjection to torture, and
limitations to effective scrutiny of counter-terrorism measures,
Stressing that measures used in the fight against terrorism, including the
profiling of individuals and the use of diplomatic assurances, memorandums of
understanding and other transfer agreements or arrangements, must be in
compliance with the obligations of States under international law, including
international human rights law, international refugee law and international
humanitarian law,
Recalling article 30 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and
reaffirming that acts, methods and practices of terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations are activities aimed at the destruction of human rights, fundamental
freedoms and democracy, threatening the territorial integrity and security of States
and destabilizing legitimately constituted Governments, and that the international
community should take the necessary steps to enhance cooperation to prevent and
combat terrorism, 2
1F
Reaffirming its unequivocal condemnation of all acts, methods and practices of
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomsoever
committed, regardless of their motivation, as criminal and unjustifiable, and
renewing its commitment to strengthen international cooperation to prevent and
combat terrorism,
Reaffirming that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any
religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group,
Noting the declarations, statements and recommendations of a number of
human rights treaty monitoring bodies and special procedures on the question of the
compatibility of counter-terrorism measures with human rights obligations,
Emphasizing the importance of properly interpreting and implementing the
obligations of States with respect to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment, and of abiding strictly by the definition of torture
contained in article 1 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman
or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 3 in the fight against terrorism,
2F
Recalling its resolutions 57/219 of 18 December 2002, 58/187 of 22 December
2003, 59/191 of 20 December 2004, 60/158 of 16 December 2005, 61/171 of
19 December 2006 and 62/159 of 18 December 2007, Commission on Human
Rights resolutions 2003/68 of 25 April 2003, 4 2004/87 of 21 April 2004 5 and
2005/80 of 21 April 2005, 6 and other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly,
the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council, including Council
resolution 7/7 of 27 March 2008, 7 and Council decision 2/112 of 27 November 2006, 8
3F
4F
5F
6F
7F
_______________
2
See sect. I, para. 17, of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World
Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993 (A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III).
3
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1465, No. 24841.
4
See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2003, Supplement No. 3 (E/2003/23), chap. II,
sect. A.
5
Ibid., 2004, Supplement No. 3 (E/2004/23), chap. II, sect. A.
6
Ibid., 2005, Supplement No. 3 and corrigenda (E/2005/23 and Corr.1 and 2), chap. II, sect. A.
7
See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-third Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/63/53), chap. II.
8
Ibid., Sixty-second Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/62/53), chap. I, sect. B.
2