General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

14 December 1984

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                   A/RES/39/118
                                                   14 December 1984
                                                   Meeting no. 101
 
                     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.