Thereafter, the right to freedom from torture was enshrined in many human rights instruments with more expansive terms which seek to protect all individuals from being intentionally subjected to severe physical or psychological distress by, or with the approval or acquiescence of, government agents acting for a specific purpose, including to inflict punishment or to obtain information. 48. Some of these include; The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, The International Covenant on Economic and SocioCultural Rights, European Convention on Human Rights, the InterAmerican Convention against Torture, Common Article 3 of the 4 Geneva Convention amongst others. 49. Amongst the above instruments, the CAT is very instructive as it provides the most precise and widely-cited definition of torture under international law. Article 1 of CAT is hereunder reproduced and it defines torture as; “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.” 50. The prohibition of torture is enshrined under Article 5 of the African Charter.While the Charter does not define the meaning of the word "torture”, the trust of the Article is the guarantee of the protection of both the dignity of the human person, and the physical and mental integrity of the individual. It is noteworthy that the international instruments earlier referred are essentially similar to the provisions of the African Charter in their intention that is, the prohibition of the use of torture. Article 5 of The Charter provides thus “Every individual shall have the right to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being and to the recognition of his legal status. All forms of exploitation and degradation of man particularly slavery, slave trade, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.” 14