Law enforcement equipment which is inherently abusive or which is readily misused for torture or other ill-treatment continues to be traded across the world. But legal and administrative restrictions have advanced significantly over the past two decades. As the UN considers the feasibility of a global instrument, this report brings together illustrative cases of equipment misuse, and proposes an anti-torture trade framework to help states and the UN to close remaining gaps. To fulfil their obligations to prevent and eradicate torture and other ill-treatment, all states must ensure that the trade in abusive goods is prohibited, and that other law enforcement equipment is only traded under robust human-rights compliant trade controls.
