The combination of international and national preventive mechanisms, as provided for by the Optional Protocol, offers a powerful tool to address the central human rights concern of torture and ill-treatment.
Professor Malcolm Evans, Chair of the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT), is chairing the 17th Session of the SPT from the 18-22 June 2012 at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
With 25 expert Members, the SPT is the largest UN Human Rights Treaty Body. During the Session, the SPT’s Members will meet to discuss issues surrounding their work in the area of torture prevention. Under its mandate the SPT visits places of detention in the States that have ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), as well as providing advice to national preventive mechanisms and maintaining contact with Civil Society.
The session will include discussion of recent and forthcoming visits, follow up on visits, discussing and adopting thematic texts, thematic training and a meeting with the OPCAT Contact group.
The OPCAT Contact Group is a group of CSOs with a common interest in torture prevention that was formed in 2006 by the University of Bristol. Professor Rachel Murray and Debbie Long from the Human Rights Implementation Centre, and Dr Judy Laing, will all be present at the Contact Group Meeting and at its meeting with the SPT.
For more information please visit the HRIC’s web pages, or contact Dr. Christine Reynolds or Prof. Rachel Murray.