UN torture prevention body confirms missions to Albania, Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Greece, Honduras, Mongolia, and Nigeria in 2024

GENEVA (22 February 2024) – The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has concluded its latest session with confirmations to visit Albania, Gabon, Honduras, and Mongolia in the first half of this year, and Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Greece, and Nigeria during the second half of 2024.

The SPT has a proactive mandate to conduct announced visits to various places of deprivation of liberty in States parties; these include prisons, police stations, detention centres, and psychiatric hospitals. Besides examining facilities, in each country visit, the SPT will have dialogues with authorities responsible for preventing torture and ill-treatment and meet to support the country’s independent torture prevention watchdog, formally called the National Prevention Mechanism (NPM), where applicable.

The Subcommittee welcomed the designation of an NPM in Slovakia, following the country’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) in 2023.

The SPT also welcomed the designation of an NPM in Bosnia and Herzegovina, further to its 2022 visit to the country. Bosnia and Herzegovina has subsequently been removed from the non-compliance list outlining all States long overdue to establish an NPM.

“The establishment of an NPM in Slovakia as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina are important positive developments for preventing torture and ill-treatment, as well as for improving detention conditions in these States Parties and in the region,” said Suzanne Jabbour, Chairperson of the SPT.

The list of non-compliance now comprises Afghanistan, Belize, Benin, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nauru, Nigeria, the State of Palestine, the Philippines and South Sudan.

“We urge all the States parties, especially those long overdue in establishing an NPM, to fulfill their obligation as soon as possible. The SPT remains available to support all the States in establishing their NPMs,” Jabbour added.

During the latest session, the SPT also discussed a revised version of its draft General Comment regarding the definition of places of deprivation of liberty, after receiving inputs from the public consultation. The general comment will serve as an important document to assist States Parties, NPMs, and other monitoring bodies by ensuring comprehensive access to detention facilities and other places where people cannot leave at their own will. It is expected to be adopted this year.

In addition, the SPT has sent its visit reports to Madagascar, Kazakhstan and South Africa. It also welcomed Argentina’s and Australia’s agreements to make the reports on their respective SPT visits public. The SPT acknowledged that the publication of reports is also a preventive action, reflecting States parties’ transparent and accountable attitude. The complete list of visits and reports is available online.