Which treaty aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment?

• A. UN Convention Against Torture
• B. Geneva Conventions
• C. Rome Statute
• D. UN Charter

Answer: (A)

Torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment are addressed most directly by a treaty that outlaws these acts and sets clear duties on states to prevent them, investigate abuses, punish offenders, and provide redress. This instrument defines torture, prohibits it in all settings, and creates mechanisms to monitor and enforce compliance, such as a standing committee. That focused, universal prohibition is what makes this treaty the best fit.

Other options operate in different areas: the Geneva Conventions regulate humane treatment of people in armed conflict but are not the sole, universal instrument against torture; the Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court to prosecute grave crimes but is not a treaty aimed specifically at banning torture in all contexts; and the UN Charter lays out the purposes and structure of the UN rather than prescribing a specific, comprehensive prohibition on torture.