Calling on Malaysia to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture

“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” – Universal Declarations of Human Rights, Article 5.

Torture is abhorrent. It is barbaric and inhumane. It can never be justified. It is wrong, self-defeating and poisons the rule of law, replacing it with terror. No one is safe when governments allow its use. The world’s governments recognised these fundamental truths when, in the aftermath of the atrocities of the Second World War, they adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This enshrined the basic right of all of us, everywhere, to live free from torture, free from cruelty.

Thirty-one years ago, this progress was further built upon by the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UN CAT). The Convention was ground-breaking. It offered a set of concrete steps to make the global ban on torture a reality, by establishing a set of measures and enshrined in law and specifically designed to prevent torture, punish perpetrators and ensure justice and redress to victims. These measures intend not only to end torture and other ill-treatment nationally, but also to ensure that no-one is deported across borders to be tortured, and that there is no safe haven for perpetrators. Torturers are now international outlaws.

Many states have taken the universal prohibition seriously and made significant strides in combating torture and made positive steps to address this ultimate corruption of humanity.

We would like to add Malaysia to that list. Join us now to call for Malaysia to recognise international law and ratify the UN CAT. 

YAB Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Main Block, Perdana Putra Building
Federal Government Administrative Centre
62502 Putrajaya

Dear Prime Minister,

Torture is abhorrent. It is barbaric and inhumane. It can never be justified. It is wrong, self-defeating and poisons the rule of law, replacing it with terror. No one is safe when governments allow its use. The world’s governments recognised these fundamental truths when, in the aftermath of the atrocities of the Second World War, they adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This enshrined the basic right of all of us, everywhere, to live free from torture, free from cruelty.

Thirty-one years ago, this progress was further built upon by the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UN CAT). The Convention was ground-breaking. It offered a set of concrete steps to make the global ban on torture a reality, by establishing a set of measures and enshrined in law and specifically designed to prevent torture, punish perpetrators and ensure justice and redress to victims. These measures intend not only to end torture and other ill-treatment nationally, but also to ensure that no-one is deported across borders to be tortured, and that there is no safe haven for perpetrators. Torturers are now international outlaws.

Many states have taken the universal prohibition seriously and made significant strides in combating torture and made positive steps to address this ultimate corruption of humanity.

We would like to add Malaysia to that list. Join us now to call for Malaysia to recognise international law and ratify the UN CAT:

We call on authorities of Malaysia to:

  • Immediately ratify the UN Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol without delay or reservation;
  • Ensure national laws are compatible with the principles and spirit of the UN CAT;
  • Establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission or a similarly dedicated and empowered body to ensure police accountability.

Yours sincerely,

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