Which treaty defines torture and prohibits it under any circumstances?

• A. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• B. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
• C. International Court of Justice
• D. Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that only one instrument formally defines torture and sets an absolute, non-derogable prohibition on it. That instrument is the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. It defines torture in its article 1 and makes clear that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever can justify it, committing states to prevent, prohibit, and punish torture in all circumstances. It also includes protections like non-refoulement to prevent returning someone to a place where they could be tortured.

The other options don’t fit as the defining treaty. The treaty on the rights of persons with disabilities focuses on protections for disabled people rather than a global definition of torture. The International Court of Justice is a judicial body, not a treaty. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a declaration, not a binding treaty with a formal, universal prohibition tied to a precise definition.