The Istanbul Protocol sets out international standards on how effective legal and medico-legal investigations into allegations of torture or ill‑treatment should be conducted. The Istanbul Protocol was developed by 75 experts in law, health and human rights from 40 organizations in 15 countries. It was officially endorsed by the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, on 9 August 1999 and included in the Professional Training Series of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2001 and later updated in 2004. The Istanbul Protocol contains a series of “Istanbul Principles”, which articulate minimum standards for State adherence to ensure the effective investigation and documentation of torture and ill‑treatment, which are further elaborated in the manual. The Istanbul Principles were promoted in resolutions of the General Assembly1 and the former Commission on Human Rights in 2000 and States were called upon to disseminate the Principles widely and use them in efforts to combat torture.

The Istanbul Protocol and its Principles are routinely used as a point of reference for measuring the effectiveness of investigations into torture by the Committee against Torture, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. In addition, the standards laid out in the Istanbul Protocol have been applied by regional human rights bodies, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as many national institutions. In his annual report to the General Assembly in October 2014, the Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan E. Méndez, recognized the critical role of forensic and medical sciences in the investigation and prevention of torture and other ill‑treatment. He stated that “The Istanbul Protocol standards serve as a standard for evaluation of medical evidence, as a reference tool for experts delivering expert opinions, as a benchmark for assessing the effectiveness of the domestic fact-finding and as a means of redress for victims” and that: “Quality forensic reports are revolutionizing the investigation of torture.” Such recognition by United Nations human rights bodies, regional human rights courts and United Nations Special Rapporteurs has facilitated the widespread use and acceptance of the Istanbul Protocol in medico-legal and other contexts worldwide. During the past 20 years, the Istanbul Protocol and its Principles have been increasingly used by State and non-State actors to guide their investigations into torture and ill‑treatment.