UN Committee against Torture to review Israel

GENEVA (28 April 2016) - The UN Committee against Torture is due to review Israel on 3 and 4 May in sessions that will be webcast live. Israel has ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and so is required to be reviewed regularly by the Committee.

Among the possible issues for discussion between CAT members and a delegation from Israel are:
·    Video recording of all detainee interviews;
·    Detainees’ access to a lawyer;
·    Administrative detention;
·    Treatment of children in detention, including use of solitary confinement; 
·    Accountability for complaints of torture and ill-treatment;
·    Measures taken to observe the principle of non-refoulement; 
·    Punitive house demolitions.

The review will take place at Palais Wilson in Geneva from 10:00 - 13:00 (11:00 – 14:00 in Israel) on 3 May and 15:00 - 18:00 (16:00 – 19:00) on 4 May and be webcast at http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/.  The Committee will also hear from NGO representatives.

More information, including Israel’s submitted written report, at: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1011&Lang=en  The Committee will publish its concluding observations here on Friday 13 May.

A news conference is scheduled for 12:30 on 13 May at Palais des Nations in Geneva when the Committee will discuss its concluding observations on Israel and the other countries being reviewed – France, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Turkey.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact Liz Throssell +41 (0) 22 917 9466/ +41 79 752 0488 ethrossell@ohchr.org)

Media accreditation:    http://unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpPages)/70991F6887C73B2280256EE700379C58?OpenDocument

Background
Members of the CAT are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties. The Committee’s concluding observations are an independent assessment of States’ compliance with their human rights obligations under the treaty. More information:  http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/cat/pages/catindex.aspx

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