ማሰቃየት ፍፁም መከልከሉ፤ ተጨባጭ ተስፋ ወይስ ላም አለኝ በሰማይ?

Abstract

The absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment has been a subject of vehement debate over the years.  Although torture has long been absolutely prohibited under international, regional and national human rights laws, systematic and widespread practice of torture persists all over the world. Against this backdrop, this article aims to explore the conundrum underlying such vile practice perpetrated under the guise of national security and counter-terrorism. It is written in the Amharic language under the title “The Absolute Prohibition of Torture: Realistic Expectation or Pie in the Sky?”. Drawing on doctrinal analysis, it discusses the legal basis of the absolute prohibition of torture, the tension between this prohibition and the indefensible practice, and the criteria distinguishing torture from ill-treatment. It exemplifies the jurisprudence of the UN and regional human rights systems advocating for the absolute prohibition of torture as an inviolable norm. It puts forward several cogent arguments for the absolute prohibition of torture, an act which is abhorrent to every right-minded person. Consequently, the article calls for the transition from impunity to accountability and emphasises the need to uphold the rule of law.

Keywords: Torture, Ill-Treatment, Cruel, Absolute Prohibition, Case Law