Human rights in the administration of justice : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

 

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Human rights in the administration of justice

  The General Assembly, Mindful of articles 3, 5, 9, 10 and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the relevant provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in particular article 6, which explicitly states that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life, Recalling its resolutions 2858 (XXVI) of 20 December 1971 and 3144 (XXVIII) of 14 December 1973 on human rights in the administration of justice, Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolutions 1984/47 and 1984/50 of 25 May 1984, in which, inter alia, the Council approved the procedures for the effective implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, Acknowledging the important work accomplished by the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control at its eighth session, Aware that the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, to be held at Milan, Italy, from 26 August to 6 September 1985, will consider the issues related to the formulation and application of United Nations standards and norms in the administration of justice under item 7 of its provisional agenda, in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1982/29 of 4 May 1982, Convinced of the need for further co-ordinated and concerted action in promoting respect for the principles embodied in the aforementioned articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

1. Reaffirms the existing prohibition under international law of every form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and strongly condemns the practice of arbitrary and summary executions;

2. Endorses the recommendations contained in Economic and Social Council resolutions 1984/47 and 1984/50 on procedures for the effective implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and on safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, respectively, as well as the provisions of their annexes;

3. Calls upon Member States to spare no effort in providing for adequate mechanisms, procedures and resources so as to ensure the implementation of these recommendations, both in law and in practice;

4. Requests the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, under item 7 of its provisional agenda, to give urgent attention to the matter of devising ways and means to ensure more effective application of existing standards and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fortieth session;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to discharge fully his tasks in connection with the implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, particularly with regard to procedures 7, 8, 9 and 10 contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution

1984/47, and to employ his best endeavours in cases where the safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty are violated;

6. Requests the Economic and Social Council, through the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control, to keep these matters under constant review;

7. Invites the specialized agencies and other relevant United Nations bodies, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned, to continue to co-operate with the Secretary-General in these endeavours by providing assistance, as may be appropriate, and by submitting proposals for relevant action to the Seventh Congress;

8. Decides to consider at its fortieth session the question of human rights in the administration of justice.