Integrity of the Person

This chapter examines rights at the core of the concept of integrity of the person. Specifically, it considers the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment and the right to life. The chapter addresses complex definitional issues of what constitutes torture, and addresses other ill-treatment, mainly in the light of treaty definitions and case law of courts and other bodies charged with applying relevant treaties. The same approach is taken with respect to the right to life, where the central issues of the limits international law places on the death penalty and on the use of force by security forces and law enforcement officials are considered. Both rights are considered to be rules of customary international law and probably peremptory norms of international law (jus cogens)

On the responsibility of special rapporteurs

While acclaimed for their activities in addressing human rights violations on behalf of the United Nations, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council have also been criticised by UN member states for actions asserted to be incompatible with their obligations. The criticisms have generally been self-serving and unconvincing, but some have had plausibility. The obligations of the special procedures are examined from the perspective of the main documents governing the activities of UN ‘experts on mission’ generally, as well as those specifically applicable to the special procedures. Existing and proposed channels for dealing with complaints about their activities are considered