the risks of arbitrariness, illegality and abuse were sharply increased. However, under international law Governments were certainly not free to act as they chose. There were applicable international standards, including provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which, if fully implemented, could offer protection to those held in administrative detention. Yet in thousands of cases around the world those norms and standards continued to be flouted by Governments. 80. The report identified as one of the abuses the use of administrative detention "as a means of halting criticism and protest". Amnesty International was concerned that administrative detention was used extensively to detain people who had sought peacefully to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. 81. As the Rapporteur had noted, administrative detention was often invoked during states of emergency or situations of internal conflict. The most serious violations of human rights, including violations of the non-derogable rights to life and the prohibition of torture, often occurred in such circumstances. Incommunicado detention facilitated such practices. 82. Article 9, paragraph 4, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Principle 32 of the Body of Principles for the Protection of all Persons under any Form of Detention or Imprisonment provided that all detainees had a basic right to challenge their detention before a judicial authority. Indeed the Rapporteur had emphasized that it was particularly important that the lawfulness of administrative detention and the treatment of E/CN.4/Sub.2/1990/SR.26 page 14 detainees should be determined by a court promptly after arrest. In many cases, however, administrative detainees were denied the effective exercise of that right. 83. When detainees were allowed to appear before a court it was often a 
**Analysis**
The text appears to focus on the human rights issues related to administrative detention, specifically the risks of arbitrariness, illegality, and abuse, and the need for governments to adhere to international standards and norms. The text highlights the importance of due process and the right to challenge detention before a judicial authority, which suggests a strong connection to the field of human rights and law.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Human rights