HRC61 - Joint Statement - Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

United Nations Human Rights Council

61^st session

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

2 March 2026

Joint Statement of the Global Alliance for Torture-free Trade

Mr President,

I have the honour of delivering this message on behalf of the Global Alliance for Torture-free Trade.

The prohibition of torture and other forms of ill-treatment is one of the strongest and most universally recognized rules in international law. 

While torture and other ill-treatment can never be justified, there are still no global regulations that ban inherently abusive equipment and control the trade in law enforcement equipment that can be misused for torture and other ill-treatment. 

We welcome the work of the Special Rapporteur to clarify States’ existing legal obligations to prohibit and prevent the production, trade and use of such items, including the listing of goods that the SR judges to be inherently cruel, inhuman or degrading. 

We call on all States to take effective measures to prevent and prohibit the use and trade of inherently abusive law enforcement equipment and to join the Global Alliance for Torture-free Trade.

Upholding the absolute prohibition on torture, including by putting an end to the use and global trade of goods that have no practical use other than this purpose, must be a priority for our collective action.

Madam Special Rapporteur,

Could you elaborate on what states can do concretely to ensure that modern-day torture tools are not traded and that the trade in other law enforcement equipment is adequately controlled? How in your view, should national risk assessments and due diligence obligations be designed? Are there good examples of national early warning trigger mechanisms?

Thank you. 

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