UN torture prevention body to visit Ghana

GENEVA (24 May 2019) — The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture is set to carry out its first visit to Ghana from 26 May to 1 June 2019 where it will examine the treatment of people deprived of their liberty and the safeguards in place for their protection against torture and ill-treatment, as well as advising Ghana’s government on establishing a National Preventive Mechanism.

The four-member delegation will hold discussions with government officials, civil society, UN entities and others, as well as visiting places where people are deprived of their liberty. The delegation will also hold discussions concerning establishing a National Preventive Mechanism in Ghana, which the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture, ratified by Ghana in 2016, requires to be established within a year after ratification.

“During our visit we will be exploring the steps that Ghana needs to take to effectively prevent torture and ill-treatment of people deprived of their liberty,” said Malcolm Evans, the Chair of the Subcommittee. “We will also advise the authorities on how they can best fulfill their treaty obligation to establish a national independent body to visit places of detention, which is an essential prerequisite for effective prevention of torture.”

The delegation will be composed of Malcolm Evans, Head of Delegation (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Nika Kvaratskelia (Georgia), Marija Definis-Gojanovic (Croatia), and Margret Osterfeld (Germany).

ENDS

For more information please contact: 
In Ghana: Antti Korkeakivi, : +41 079 444 4917 / akorkeakivi@ohchr.org
For media inquiries, please contact:
In Geneva: Julia Grønnevet, +41 (0) 22 917 9310 / jgronnevet@ohchr.org

Background

The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture monitors States parties’ adherence to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture which to date has been ratified by 89 countries. The Subcommittee is made up of 25 members who are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties. The Subcommittee has a mandate to undertake visits to States parties, during the course of which it may visit any place where persons may be deprived of their liberty. Learn more with our videos on the Treaty Body system and on the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture! 

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