The Alliance for Torture-Free Trade is an initiative of Argentina, the European Union and Mongolia, bringing together countries from around the world. Its aim is to end the trade in goods used for capital punishment and torture.

Over the last few decades, more and more countries worldwide have committed themselves to eradicating the death penalty, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, through the development of United Nations conventions and protocols.

Yet, despite these improvements, many countries continue to systematically carry out torture and the death penalty, using products that are traded and shipped internationally.

Domestic export bans on torture and execution equipment in many countries have made this trade more difficult in recent years, and Argentina, the European Union and Mongolia now recognise the need to take further steps to end it.

Alliance for Torture-Free Trade

Together, on 18 September 2017 they will launch the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade at a special event at the beginning of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, inviting many more countries to join. Participants in the Alliance will sign a political declaration at the launch event.

A purpose of this global alliance is to make it significantly more difficult to obtain products used for carrying out the death penalty and commit torture. With this in mind, participating countries will sign up to:

• Take measures to control and restrict exports of these goods.
• Exchange practices on how to shut down this trade – how to establish efficient control and enforcement systems.
• Set up a platform for monitoring and exchanging information, so customs authorities can see trade flows and identify new products.
• Provide technical assistance between the countries in the Alliance, to help them put national legislation in place.