Restraints are designed to restrict or prevent movement. While specialist law enforcement restraints (the focus of this section) are commonly used by law enforcement around the world, improvised or ad hoc restraints such as shoelaces and ropes, are also used to violate human rights. This page includes information on common types of restraints, relevant reports, and resources.
Restraints can cause a various physical injuries and psychological harm depending on their design and how they are used. Some restraints are so dangerous that their use violates human rights and can be torture. These include thumbcuffs, weighted leg cuffs, and neck restraints. Other restraints, such as handcuffs, may be used by law enforcement a human rights-compliant way, but unfortunately they are often used to cause harm. For example, a person might be handcuffed in a stress position or to a fixed object (like a wall or ceiling), or several people might be people handcuffed together; all such use is harmful and dangerous. Injuries from restraints can be life-threatening.
Omega researches different kinds of restraints. We call for the trade and use of abusive restraints to be prohibited, and for robust controls to be placed on the trade and use of other kinds to ensure they are not used to violate human rights.
