Risks of torture and ill-treatment exist everywhere, in any country at any time. Torture prevention is a global strategy that intends to reduce these risks and create an environment where torture and ill-treatment are less likely to occur.
A three-stage approach is essential to ensure torture prevention works:
- An effective legal framework must be put in place that both prohibits and prevents torture and ill-treatment, as well as legal safeguards.
- Laws and regulations need to be applied in practice. This can consist of training (for police and other actors), development of procedural safeguards (video recording of interrogations etc) and sanctions in cases of non-compliance.
- Control mechanisms should be put in place in order to check whether the legal framework exists and whether it is implemented. Regular visits to places of detention by independent bodies are one example.