UNITED NATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON PREVENTION OF TORTURE ENDS VISIT TO MAURITIUS

Geneva, 18 October 2007 -- The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) today completed a visit to the Republic of Mauritius, its first-ever country mission, by handing a set of preliminary observations and recommendations to Mauritian authorities.
The SPT, a unique United Nations instrument that seeks to prevent torture and other forms of ill-treatment through a system of regular visits to places where persons are deprived of liberty, started meeting officials in Mauritius on 10 October 2007. Its observations and recommendations are confidential, but can be made public if the country agrees. The SPT’s mandate is complemented at the national level by national preventive mechanisms (NPMs), which States Parties are obliged to designate within one year after of the entry into force of the OPCAT on 22 June 2006. NPMS are also entitled to undertake visits to places where persons are deprived of their liberty.
In Mauritius, the SPT reviewed the treatment of persons detained in various institutions and conducted private interviews with detainees in 4 prisons, 17 police facilities (including police stations and detention facilities) and shelters and rehabilitation centres. The establishments visited included the Beau Bassin central prison, the New Wing prison, the Women’s prison, the Phoenix prison and Police facilities in Vacoas, Moka, Albion, Roche Bois, Terre Rouge, Rose Hill, Pope Henessy, Curepipe, Plaine Verte, Abercrombie, Riviere des Anguilles, L’Escalier, Mahebourg, Line Barracks, Port Louis north district, the Petite Riviere juvenile detention centre and the Beau Bassin rehabilitation youth centre. The shelter for children and distressed women in Albion was also visited.
In its discussions with the country’s authorities, the SPT examined how existing safeguards against torture and other forms of ill-treatment worked in practice. The SPT delegation held meetings at central level with the Senior Chief Executive, Prime Minister’s Office (Home Affairs Division) K.R. Mudhoo, the Attorney General, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hon. J. Valayden, the Minister of Women’s Rights, Child Development, Family Welfare & Consumer Protection Hon. I. Seebun and the Chief Justice Hon. Bernard Sik Yuen.
The following SPT members were on the delegation that visited Mauritius: Silvia Casale (United Kingdom), Chairperson of the SPT, Mario Luis Coriolano (Argentina), Marija Definis-Gojanovic (Croatia), Hans Draminsky Petersen (Denmark), Vice-Chairperson of the SPT, Wilder Tayler Souto (Uruguay) and Leopoldo Torres Boursault (Spain).