A United Nations torture expert has urged governments and security-industry organisers to reinforce monitoring measures after several prohibited items were discovered for sale at a major international security trade fair in Paris. Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, issued the warning on Friday following the identification of multiple pieces of law enforcement equipment deemed inherently abusive under European Union law at Milipol 2025, held from 18 to 21 November.
Edwards said that rigorous, continuous oversight of security and policing exhibitions is essential to prevent banned items from slipping onto the global market. She noted that direct-contact electric shock devices, ammunition containing multiple kinetic impact projectiles and multi-barrel launchers were among the materials displayed at the Paris event. These devices, she emphasised, cause unnecessary suffering and should not only be prohibited across all 27 EU member states but barred from trade worldwide.
The EU Anti-Torture Regulation, originally introduced in 2006 and strengthened in 2019, sets strict limitations on the promotion, display and sale of equipment that may facilitate torture or ill-treatment. In 2025, the European Union further expanded the list of prohibited and controlled items. Despite this, a wide array of products previously identified by the Special Rapporteur as inherently abusive appeared on stands at the fair. Among them were electric shock batons, gloves and stun guns; spiked anti-riot shields; ammunition designed to deliver multiple projectiles; and multi-barrel launchers. These products were reportedly marketed by companies from Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, France, India, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, South Korea, Türkiye and the United States.
Newly banned systems that deliver injurious quantities of riot control agents were also circumvented. Several companies promoted drones equipped with multi-barrel launchers capable of dispersing high volumes of chemical irritants, directly contravening the tightened EU rules. Upon being notified of these violations, Milipol organisers responded by instructing companies to remove both physical items and catalogue materials. Edwards reported that one state-owned firm refused to comply, leading to its stall being shut down entirely.
The Special Rapporteur said the incident highlights the need for states to adopt the recommendations she set out in her 2023 report on torture-free trade. While she welcomed recent EU initiatives to strengthen regulatory frameworks, she underlined that regional approaches alone are not adequate. Without a global, legally binding treaty governing the trade in law enforcement equipment, she warned, abusive devices will continue to resurface in new markets, exploiting regulatory gaps and putting more people at risk.
Edwards called on organisers of security, defence and policing exhibitions worldwide to implement robust monitoring systems, rigorously enforce bans and cooperate fully with independent investigators. She praised Milipol’s rapid response but stressed that the appearance of banned equipment demonstrates the need for constant vigilance.
This is not the first time the Special Rapporteur has raised concerns about the circulation of torture-linked equipment, and she affirmed that she will continue monitoring developments as part of her mandate.
