Who this is relevant for
This page serves people in custody, relatives of detainees, threatened deportees or extradition subjects, and lawyers documenting patterns of abuse. Risk assessment must be grounded in the person's own facts and relevant country evidence rather than assuming every feared return will meet a legal threshold.
Scope and procedure
Special Procedures communications are independent of treaty-body complaints under the Convention against Torture. A Special Rapporteur can seek information from a state and raise urgent concerns; the Committee against Torture considers individual communications only where its jurisdiction is accepted and admissibility rules are satisfied.
Evidence, strategy and submission preparation
Prioritise medical evidence where safely obtainable, custody logs, photographs with provenance, witness testimony, official complaints, investigation responses and a clear timeline. Where a person faces removal, assess credible personalised risk, destination conditions and national proceedings; avoid submitting sensitive witness identifiers without a disclosure plan.
Practical checklist
- Identify specific acts or credible threats, dates, locations and responsible actors.
- Document state involvement, consent or acquiescence where material.
- Gather medical and custody records through lawful, safe channels.
- Assess whether harm is ongoing or imminent and what urgent local actions are available.
- Distinguish Special Procedures from a possible CAT treaty-body complaint.
Key considerations and documents
| Issue | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Past mistreatment | Document acts, injuries, witnesses and subsequent official response. |
| Threat of torture | Specific risk indicators, threats and context for the individual. |
| Extradition or deportation | Destination risk and domestic protection proceedings. |
| CAT Article 22 route | Separate treaty-body competence and admissibility analysis. |
What outcomes and limitations should you expect?
An expert communication does not legally suspend removal, release a prisoner or establish criminal liability. Do not wait for international correspondence where imminent harm requires immediate action by domestic courts, counsel or protective authorities.
How our team can help
We can assess whether the allegations are within this specific mandate, build a dated chronology, identify reliable corroborating documents, address consent and disclosure risks, and prepare a concise draft for the applicable OHCHR route. The mandate-holder independently decides whether to act; we cannot secure an urgent appeal or compel correspondence.
Frequently asked questions
Must the torture already have occurred?
No. Credible risk of serious mistreatment may be relevant to an urgent Special Procedures communication.
Can I send the same information to CAT?
Different routes may be relevant, but strategic interaction and treaty admissibility should be checked first.
Will evidence be kept secret?
Confidentiality is not automatic; consent and protective requests must be clearly handled.
Request an assessment
Request a risk-and-evidence review tailored to detention or removal circumstances.
Next step: Request a confidential case assessment.
Related pages
- Urgent Appeals to UN Special Procedures
- UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) Individual Complaints
- Extradition, Deportation and Human Rights Complaints to the UN
Official references
- OHCHR current thematic mandate registry
- OHCHR Special Procedures submission guidance
- OHCHR individual complaints FAQ
Independent informational website. Not an official United Nations or OHCHR service. UN mechanisms assess matters independently; filing does not guarantee intervention, an outcome or a particular timeline.