Torture of political prisoners and detainees in southern Africa.

  • Author: UN General Assembly (32nd sess. : 1977)
  • Document source:
  • Date:
    8 December 1977

32. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
65. Torture of political prisoners and detainees in southern Africa

The General Assembly, Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,[1] in particular its article 5, Bearing in mind the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, contained in the annex to its resolution 3452 (XXX) of 9 December 1975, Taking note of the report of the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on Southern Africa,[2] established pursuant to resolution 2 (XXIII) of the Commission on Human Rights, concerning the deaths of detainees and police brutality in South Africa since the Soweto massacre of 16 June 1976, Gravely concerned about the reports regarding the torture of political prisoners and the deaths of a number of detainees and about the growing wave of acts of repression against individuals, organizations and information media in South Africa, Deeply shocked by the cowardly and dastardly murder in detention of Stephen Biko,

1. Condemns the South African régime for its continuing violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;

2. Reiterates its deep aversion to the practice whereby the South African régime persistently subjects all opponents of apartheid to summary banning, detention, imprisonment and sometimes murder;

3. Strongly condemns the practice of subjecting political detainees and other victims of apartheid in South Africa to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

4. Strongly condemns, in particular, the arbitrary arrest, detention and torture which led to the murder of Stephen Biko by agents of the racist minority régime of South Africa;

5. Demands that the minority apartheid régime of South Africa:

(a) Release all political prisoners without precondition;

(b) Lift all banning and house arrest orders imposed on opponents of apartheid;

(c) Put an immediate end to the indiscriminate use of violence against peaceful demonstrators against apartheid and to the persistent recourse to torture of political detainees;

6. Expresses its conviction that the martyrdom of Stephen Biko and all other nationalists murdered in South African prisons and the ideals for which they fought will continue to enrich the faith of the peoples of southern Africa and other parts of the world in their struggle against apartheid and for racial equality and the dignity of the human person.

98th plenary meeting
8 December 1977


[1] Resolution 217 A (III). [2] A/32/226, annex.
Disclaimer:

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.