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Torture Prevention and OPCAT

 

  • The Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture (OPCAT) GA Res. 57/199 on the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, A/RES/57/199

Human Rights Instruments

  • The UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
  • The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 7
  • The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
  • The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Article 3
  • The American Convention on Human Rights, Article 5
  • The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, Article 5
  • Guidelines and Measures for the Prohibition and Prevention of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Africa (The Robben Island Guidelines), available at: http://www.achpr.org/instruments/robben-island-guidelines-2008/

Selected Academic Literature

  • Burgers, J. and Danelius, H. The United Nations Convention against Torture: A Handbook on the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Dordrescht: Martinus Nijhoff, 1988
  • Bank, R., 'International Efforts to Combat Torture and Inhuman Treatment: Have the New Mechanisms Improved Protection?', European Journal of International Law, Vol. 8, No. 4, 1997, pp. 613-637
  • Bank, R., ‘Country-oriented procedures under the Convention against Torture: Towards a new dynamism’, in Philip Alston and James Crawford, eds., The Future of UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press, 2000, pp. 145-174
  • Coriolano, M. Torture prevention network : themes for planned action.  Essex Human Rights Review; vol. 6, no. 1, 2009, pp.30-38
  • Casale, S. ‘A System of Preventive Oversight’ Essex Human Rights Law Review, Vol. 6 No.1, 2009; pp. 9-19
  • De Beco, G. ‘The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the OPCAT) in Europe: Duplication or Reinforcement?’, Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law Vol.3, 2011, pp. 257-274
  • Edwards, A., ‘The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and the Detention of Refugees’, International And Comparative Law Quarterly; Vol 57, pp. 789-825 (2008)
  • Egan, S. ‘The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture: Paying the Price for Prevention’ Irish Jurist December 2009
  • Evans, M., ‘The OPCAT at 50’ in Gilbert, G., Hampson, F., and Sandoval, C. (eds), The Delivery of Human Rights: Essays in Honour of Professor Sir Nigel Rodley, (Routledge, 2011), pp. 85-113
  • Evans, M., ‘Getting to Grips with Torture’, International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 2, 2002, pp. 365-383
  • Evans, M., ‘The place of the Optional Protocol in the scheme of international approaches to torture and torture prevention and resulting issues’ in Scheu and Hybnerova (eds.), International and National Mechanisms against Torture (Prague, 2004), 19
  • Evans, M. Expectations of the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, the national preventative mechanisms, and the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. Human Rights Brief; vol. 16, no. 4, 2009, pp. 48-50
  • Evans, M. and Haenni-Dale, C., ‘Preventing Torture? The Development of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture’, Human Rights Law Review; Vol.4, No.1, 2004
  • Evans, M., and Morgan, R., Preventing Torture: A Study of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • Giffard, C., The Torture Reporting Handbook: How to document and respond to allegations of torture within the international system for the protection of human rights, Colchester, UK, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex, (2002) available on the website of the University of Essex Human Rights Centre at www.essex.ac.uk/torturehandbook)
  • Ginbar, Y., Why Not Torture Terrorists? Moral, Practical and Legal Aspects of the ‘Ticking Bomb’ Justification of Torture, Oxford University Press, (2010)
  • Hallo de Wolf, A. ‘Visits to Less Traditional Places of Detention : Challenges Under the OPCAT’ (2009) 6:1 Essex Human Rights Law Review
  • Hallo de Wolf, A. and Watson, J. Navigating the boundaries of prevention : the role of OPCAT in deportation with diplomatic assurances.. Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights; vol. 27, no. 4, 2009, pp.525-566 
  • Harding, R. and Morgan, N., OPCAT in the Asia-Pacific and Australasia Essex Human Rights Review; vol. 6, no. 2, 2010, pp. 99-124
  • Kicker R., ‘The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture: a success story?’ in Kicker R., (Eds.) The Council of Europe: Pioneer and guarantors for human rights and democracy. (Council of Europe Publishing, 2010)
  • Kicker. R. , The European Convention on the Prevention of Torture compared with the United Nations Convention Against Torture and its Optional Protocol  in ‘Making treaties work : human rights, environment and arms control’ , Geir Ulfstein, Thilo Marauhn and Andreas Zimmermann (eds.), Cambridge: Cambridge University, 2007, pp. 91-111
  • Ledwidge, F.,  The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT): A Major Step Forward in the Global Prevention of Terror. 17 Helsinki Monitor 69, 2006
  • Long, ‘Commentary on the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture’ in IIHR and APT Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. A Manual for Prevention. (IIHR and APT, 2005)
  • Long, ‘The Mandate and Methodology of the Preventive Mechanisms under the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture’ in IIHR and APT Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. A Manual for Prevention.’ (IIHR and APT, 2005)
  • Morgan, R., and Evans, M., Combating torture in Europe: The work and standards of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), Strasbourg, Council of Europe Publishing, 2001.
  • Murray, R., ‘National Preventive Mechanisms under the Optional Protocol to the Torture Convention: One Size Does not Fit All’, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, (2008) Vol. 26, No. 4, pp 485-516
  • Murray, R., Steinerte, E., Evans, M. and Hallo de Wolf, A. The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture Oxford University Press, 2011
  • Medlicott, D.  Preventing torture and casual cruelty in prisons through independent monitoring. in ‘The violence of Incarceration’ by Phil Scraton and Jude McCulloch (eds.). New York: Routledge, pp. 244-260
  • Mukherjee. A., The fact-finding missions of the special rapporteur on torture The International Journal of Human Rights Vol. 15, No. 2, 2011, pp.265–285
  • Nowak, M.,  ‘What Practices Constitute Torture? US and UN Standards’, Vol. 28 (4), HRQ (2006), pp.809-841
  • Nowak, M. and McArthur, E. The United Nations Convention Against Torture. A Commentary. Oxford University Press, 2008
  • Oette, L., ‘Implementing the prohibition on torture’, 16(5) International Journal of Human Rights (2012) 717-736
  • Olivier, A. and Narvaez, M. ‘OPCAT Challenges and the Way Forwards: The ratification and implementation of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture’ (2009) 6:1 Essex Human Rights Law Review at 57
  • Olowu, D.  Calibrating the Promise of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, and Other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment or Punishment  18 Stellenbosch Law Review  483, 2007
  • Owers, A. Inspecting places of detention Criminal Justice Matters; vol. 71, no. 1, 2008, pp.28-29
  • Owers, A., ‘Facilitating the coherence of standards’ Presentation during the Thematic Panel 2 in conference New Partnerships for Torture Prevention in Europe, Strasbourg, 6 November, 2009; Proceedings of the Conference. (Council of Europe and APT Publishing, 2010)
  • Pirjola, J., ‘The Parliamentary Ombudsman of Finland as a National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’, Nordic Journal of International Law, Vol 77 (2008) pp. 163-174.
  • Pollard, M., Implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) in Federal and other Decentralized States, Discussion Paper for the Seminar “The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture: Implementation in Federal States and Decentralized States” Sao Paulo, Brazil (22-24 June 2005)
  • Pringle, M., ‘The Importance of the Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture for the Worldwide Prevention of Torture’ in Scheu and Hybnerova (eds.), International and National Mechanisms against Torture (Prague, 2004)
  • Rodley, Sir N., ‘Reflections on Working for the Prevention of Torture’ (2010) 6(1) Essex Human Rights Review 21
  • Rodley, N., and Pollard, M., ‘The Treatment of Prisoners under International Law’, third edition, Oxford University Press (2011).
  • Schmidinger, P. Visiting mechanisms to eradicate torture : a Foucaultian analysis. Human Rights Review; vol. 11, no. 3, 2010, pp. 317-355
  • Sørensen, B.  and Vedel Rasmussen, O.  The Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) / Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) Torture: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture; Vol. 17, No. 2, 2007, pp.126-128
  • Steinerte, E., 'The Jewel in the Crown and Its Three Guardians: Independence of National Preventive Mechanisms Under the Optional Protocol to the UN Torture Convention', Human Rights Law Review (2014), Vol. 14, No.1
  • Steinerte, E., 'The Changing Nature of Relationship between the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and National Preventive Mechanisms: in Search for Equilibrium' (2013) Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights 31:2; pp. 129-155
  • Steinerte, E. and Murray, R. ‘Same but Different? National human rights commissions and ombudsman offices and national preventive mechanisms under the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture’. Essex Human Rights Review Vol. 6, No 1, 2009; pp. 77-101
  • Steinerte, E., Murray, R., and Laing, J., ‘Monitoring those deprived of their liberty in psychiatric and social care institutions and national practice in the UK’ (2012) 16:6 The International Journal of Human Rights at pp. 865-882
  • Tayler, W., What is the added value of prevention?  Essex Human Rights Review; vol. 6, no. 1, 2009, pp.22-29
  • Vedel Kessing, P.  'New Optional Protocol to the UN Torture Convention',  Nordic Journal of International Law (2003); Vol. 72, no. 4, pp. 571-592.

 

Other Publications

 

SPT  Annual Reports:

  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, First Annual Report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; UN Doc CAT/C/40/2 (2008)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Second Annual Report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; UN Doc CAT/C/42/2 (2009)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Third Annual Report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, UN Doc CAT/C/44/2 (2010)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Fourth Annual Report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, UN Doc CAT/C/46/2 (2011)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Fifth Annual Report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; UN Doc CAT/C/48/3 (2012)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Sixth Annual Report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; UN Doc CAT/C/50/2 (2013)

 

SPT Visit Reports:

  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Report on the Visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Sweden, UN Doc CAT/OP/SWE/1 (2008)
  • Replies from Sweden to the Recommendations and Questions of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture in its Report on the First Periodic Visit to Sweden, UN Doc CAT/OP/SWE/1/Add.1 (2009)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Report on the Visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to the Maldives; UN Doc CAT/OP/MDV/1(2009)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Report on the Visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Paraguay, UN Doc CAT/OP/PRY/1 (2010)
  • Replies of the Republic of Paraguay to the recommendations and requests for information made by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in its report on its first periodic visit to Paraguay, (CAT/OP/PRY/R.1), UN Doc CAT/OP/PRY/1/Add.1 (2010)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Report on the Visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Honduras, UN Doc CAT/OP/HND/1 (2010)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Report on the Visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Mexico Visit Report, CAT/OP/MEX/1 (2010)
  • Replies of Mexico to the recommendations and requests for information made by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in its report on its first periodic visit to Mexico (CAT/OP/MEX/1), UN Doc CAT/OP/MEX/1/Add.1 (2011)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Report on the Visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Benin, UN Doc CAT/OP/BEN/1 (2011)
  • Replies of the Republic of Benin to the recommendations and requests for information made by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in its report on its first periodic visit to Benin (CAT/OP/BEN/1), UN Doc CAT/OP/BEN/1/Add.1 (2011)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture , Report on the follow-up visit to the Republic of Paraguay from 13 to 15 September 2010; UN Doc CAT/OP/PRY/2
  • Replies from Paraguay to the recommendations and questions of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture in its report on the follow-up visit to Paraguay (CAT/OP/PRY/2) UN Doc CAT/OP/PRY/2/Add.1 (2011)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Report on the Visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Brazil, UN Doc CAT/OP/BRA/1 (2012)
  • Replies of Brazil to the recommendations and request for information made by the Subcommittee, UN Doc CAT/OP/BRA/1/Add.1 (2013)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture. Report on the visit made by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for the purpose of providing advisory assistance to the national preventive mechanism of Honduras. UN Doc CAT/OP/HND/3 (2013)
  • Report on the visit made by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for the purpose of providing advisory assistance to the national preventive mechanism of Moldova. Report for the national preventive mechanism. UN Doc CAT/OP/MDA/R.1 (2013)

 

SPT’s Guidelines, Statements etc:

  • Preliminary guidelines for the ongoing development of national preventive mechanisms. In Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, First Annual Report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; UN Doc CAT/C/40/2 (2008), para 28 (a).
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Guidelines on National Preventive Mechanisms, UN Doc CAT/OP/12/5 (2010)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, The approach of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture to the concept of prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. UN Doc CAT/OP/12/6 (2010)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Rules of Procedure of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, UN Doc CAT/OP/12/3 (2011)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Analytical self-assessment tool for National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs). A preliminary guide by the SPT regarding the functioning of an NPM, UN Doc CAT/OP/12/8 (2011)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Guidelines of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in relation to visits to States parties, UN Doc CAT/OP/12/4 (2011)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Provisional statement on the role of judicial review and due process in the prevention of torture in prisons, adopted by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment at its sixteenth session, 20 to 24 February 2012. UN Doc CAT/OP/2 (2012)
  • Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, Summary on the discussion on the on-going process to amend the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMR) UN Doc CAT/OP/4 (2013)

Human Rights Implementation Centre's  

  • October 2008: Relationship between the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Robben Island Guidelines and the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture  (OPCAT)
  • November 2008: The Relationship between Accreditation by the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions and the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture. Available also in Spanish
  • August 2009: The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ Principles and Best Practices on the Protection of Persons Deprived of Liberty in the Americas and the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture
  • August 2009: Relationship between the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) and other international and regional visiting mechanisms
  • December 2009: The Optional Protocol to the UN Torture Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities: some common issues
  • July 2011: Policy paper on the possible future role and activities of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa (CPTA)
  • October 2011: ‘Deprivation of liberty’ as per Article 4 of OPCAT: the scope
  • January 2012: Strengthening The Capacities Of National Human Rights Institutions In Conflict And Post Conflict Situations In North Africa
  • February 2012: Some reflections on issues emerging from the practice of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) regarding mental health in detention.
  • August 2012: 10 Years of the Robben Island Guidelines and the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) – a time for synergy

 

Selected Resources on NPMs:

  • APT ‘OPCAT Database.’
  • The Database on the Mandates and Functioning of the Institutions Comprising the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM)for the United Kingdom as per requirements of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture (OPCAT) by the Human Rights Implementation Centre
  • The NPM Directory of the Human Rights Implementation Centre
  • Monitoring places of detention. First Annual Report of the United Kingdom’s National Preventive Mechanism. 2009–10 (London, 2011)
  • Monitoring places of detention. Second Annual Report of the United Kingdom’s National Preventive Mechanism. 2010–11 (London, 2012)
  • Activity of the People’s Advocate on the role of the National Mechanism on Prevention of Torture Compilation of Annual Reports 2008- 2010 (Tirana, 2011) _Albanian NPM
  • Human Rights Commission of New Zealand Monitoring Places of Detention. Annual report of activities under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT). 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012 (Auckland, 2012)
  • Human Rights Commission of New Zealand Monitoring places of detention. First Annual report of activities under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPACT)- 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008. (Auckland, 2008)
  • Inspectorate for Security and Justice Monitoring places of detention. First Annual Report. National Preventive Mechanisms. ( Amsterdam, 2011) _Dutch NPM
  • Report of the Human Rights Defender on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism in Poland in 2009. (Warsaw, 2010)
  • Report of the Human Rights Defender on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism in Poland in 2010 (Warsaw, 2011)
  • Federal Agency for the Prevention of Torture, Annual Report 2009 / 2010 (Wiesbaden, 2011)_ German NPM
  • Human Rights Ombudsman Report of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia on the Implementation of the Tasks of the National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for the year 2011 (Ljubljana, 2012)

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