The Mandatory Reporting of Torture by Detention Center Officials: An Original Proposal

The purpose of this article is to propose an original mechanism to encourage officials in detention centers to report torture. Although public officials in many countries are already required or expected to report acts of torture that they observe or have reason to suspect, formal procedures to facilitate the making of reports, and to ensure the confidentiality and legal protection of reporters, are generally not in place. This article outlines model provisions for a reporting law that would introduce such procedures, drawing on the experience of the United States and other countries with mandatory reporting laws in respect of child abuse.