CAT: Submission to UN Committee Against Torture in response to Draft General Comment No 2
On 24 August 2007, the Centre made a Submission to the UN Committee against Torture in response to Draft General Comment No 2. The Draft General Comment is of significant importance to the normative development of international human rights law.
Although the prohibition against torture is a non-derogable human right and a peremptory norm of customary international law, it continues to be flagrantly violated. For example, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment reports that during the period from 16 December 2005 to 15 December 2006, he sent 79 letters of allegations of torture to 35 governments and 157 urgent appeals to 60 governments on behalf of persons who might be at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment. These statistics highlight the urgent need for state parties to receive practical instruction in respect of the Convention and in particular, article 2, which underpins the Convention’s absolute prohibition against torture.
Submission to 2025-26 Federal Budget consultation
The Human Rights Law Centre has put forward recommendations to the 2025-26 federal budget submissions across a range of issues, including campaigning for an Australian Human Rights Act, migration justice, prisoners’ rights, whistleblower protection and modern slavery.
Read more
Submission to Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021 review
The Human Rights Law Centre is calling for stronger safeguards for the right to privacy and warned that these powers enable the AFP and ACIC to undertake significant invasions of privacy, encroach on the right to privacy, and threaten to have a chilling effect on the work of journalists and their sources.
Read more
Submission to Inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities
In a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into antisemitism on Australian university campuses, the Human Rights Law Centre has called for reforms that uphold Australia's commitment to international human rights standards, fostering a society that respects equality, freedom, and justice for all.
Read more
Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Cammeraygal, Darug, Wadawurrung, Turrbal and Jagera people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
WARNING: This site contains images or names of people who have passed away.