The Prohibition of Torture and Ill-Treatment under International Law

Describes and analyses in detail domestic legislation and international law prohibiting torture and the prosecution of torturers.

This book describes what torture is and how international law has sought to outlaw the practice. Torture is not only inflicted upon those in detention but may also occur while policing protests. Increasingly, torturers can be prosecuted for acts they perpetrate anywhere in the world.The first comprehensive analysis of domestic and international law defining and prohibiting torture and other forms of ill-treatment, this groundbreaking work reviews the law on torture in countries around the world. It considers how international law governs the use of force by police against suspects held in custody and during protests, and the practice and outlawing of torture both in peacetime and during armed conflict. The analysis also includes the application of universal jurisdiction, which is used in the attempt to prosecute and punish torture committed anywhere in the world. The application and execution of the death penalty are also discussed in detail.