ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the development of international standards for the effective investigation and documentation of torture and ill-treatment known as the Istanbul Protocol (IP), practical application of IP standards, and examines future directions for IP implementation. It addresses two of the most critical factors in torture prevention, accountability, and redress—effective investigation and documentation. The IP is intended to serve as a set of common, international guidelines for the assessment of persons who allege torture and ill-treatment, for investigating cases of alleged torture, and for reporting such findings to the judiciary and any other investigative body. The most significant challenge in achieving effective investigation and documentation of torture and ill-treatment and ending torture in our time is developing the will among state actors and civil society. It is important to recognize limitations and potential misuse of the IP. IP guidelines aid medical experts in their efforts to correlate specific allegations of abuse with physical and/or psychological evidence.
