On 10 December 1984, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention Against Torture (CAT). This Convention is one of the core instruments of the human rights protection system of the United Nations, obligating all States Parties to take all necessary measures to prevent and combat torture. The States must protect all persons deprived of their liberty from attacks against their physical and mental integrity. The Convention defines torture as “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity.”
Everywhere and at all times, the States Parties must refrain from acts of torture. Police and prison officials, but also officials in certain healthcare institutions such as nursing homes and psychiatric clinics, must be instructed accordingly during their training and regularly monitored during their work. In the event of sufficient suspicion of torture, the States Parties are obligated to conduct independent investigations and either to prosecute alleged torturers or to extradite them to a country that will initiate a prosecution. Victims of torture must be compensated adequately. Of particular practical importance is the prohibition of deporting persons to a State in which a high probability exists that they will become victims of torture. This obligation also applies to the States Parties to the European Convention on Human Rights, article 3 of which unambiguously states that no one may be subjected to torture or degrading punishment or treatment.
Liechtenstein is a State Party to both the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture. It also has recognized the right of the UN Committee Against Torture to review complaints lodged by individuals. Since 1992, Liechtenstein has also been a State Party to the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. With this Convention, an independent expert body (CPT) has been established, which conducts preventive visits to the prisons of States Parties. So far, the CPT has visited Liechtenstein three times and reviewed the measures taken by the authorities to prevent torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT), which Liechtenstein ratified in 2006, constitutes a further important instrument to prevent and combat torture. The Protocol envisages particularly the creation of a so called National Prevention Mechanism (NPM). Explicitly, this includes the appointment of an independent body which regularly monitors compliance with the standards regarding the treatment of detainees and whose members are competent and have diverse expertise. Furthermore, this body, inter alia in its public annual reports, may issue recommendations to the Government with regard to possible improvements on the practical or on the legislative level. Since 2008, the task of the NPM in Liechtenstein is carried out by the Corrections Commission which was established on the basis of the Execution of Sentences Act.
Further information
- On UN activities
- On Council of Europe activities
- First Liechtenstein country report submitted to the UN Committee against Torture (English)
- Concluding Observations of the Committee against Torture on the first Liechtenstein country report (English)
- Second Liechtenstein country report submitted to the UN Committee against Torture (German (PDF, 118.60 KB)
 / English )
- Concluding Observations of the Committee against Torture on the second Liechtenstein country report (English )
- Third Liechtenstein country report submitted to the UN Committee against Torture (German (PDF, 545.16 KB) / English (PDF, 502.67 KB) )
- Concluding Oberservations of the Committee against Torture of the third Liechtenstein country report (German (PDF, 187.17 KB) / English (PDF, 135.50 KB) ),
- Comments to the Concluding Observations by the Liechtenstein Government (English (PDF, 364.45 KB) )
- Report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture on its visit to Liechtenstein in 1993 (French)
- Report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture on its visit to Liechtenstein in 1999 and comments by the Government (English /German )
- Annual Report 2009 of the Liechtenstein NPM (Englisch (PDF, 2.50 MB) / German (PDF, 2.89 MB) )
Related links
- UN Convention Against Torture (German )
- European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (German )
- European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (English )
Die Verantwortung für die Inhalte liegt beim Amt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, 9490 Vaduz, 
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