torturevictimsday

[torturevictimsday]

CAT 79th Session (15 Apr 2024 - 10 May 2024) - Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

General Documentation

Provisional AgendaCAT/C/79/1 -ANNOTATED PROVISIONAL AGENDA- View document 

Programme of Work Provisional programme of work, as of 24 April 2024 -View document

Information from secretariat INDICO - registration to attend meetings- View document 

Open/Closing Remarks Opening Statement by the Director of the OHCHR Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division (CTMD)- View document

Consideration of State Reports

 Austria   Tuesday 16 Apr 2024 AM, Wednesday 17 Apr 2024 PM

 Azerbaijan   Tuesday 23 Apr 2024 AM, Wednesday 24 Apr 2024 PM

 Finland   Thursday 02 May 2024 AM, Friday 03 May 2024 PM

 Honduras   Wednesday 17 Apr 2024 AM, Thursday 18 Apr 2024 PM

Liechtenstein   Wednesday 24 Apr 2024 AM, Thursday 25 Apr 2024 PM

 North Macedonia   Wednesday 01 May 2024 AM, Friday 03 May 2024 AM

List of issues

 COUNTRY     |     

Albania   

State party's report CAT/C/ALB/3- View document  Annex to State party report, Annexes - View document  (Common) Core Document HRI/CORE/ALB/2012( View document

 Namibia   

List of issues prior to reporting (LoIPR) CAT/C/NAM/QPR/3 - View document State party's report CAT/C/NAM/3 - View document (Common) Core Document HRI/CORE/NAM/2014( View document Info from Civil Society Organizations (for LOIPR) Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children for Namibia- View document

Turkmenistan   

State party's reportCAT/C/TKM/3 -View document  (Common) Core Document- HRI/CORE/TKM/2021- View document

List of issues prior to reporting (LOIPR)

 COUNTRY     |     

 Belgium   

State party report under LoIPRCAT/C/BEL/5  (Common) Core Document- HRI/CORE/BEL/2020- View document  Info from Civil Society Organizations (for the session) L’Association européenne pour la défense des droits et des libertés (ASSEDEL) -View document

#committee against torture (cat) #meetings #convention against torture #independent experts #states parties #un human rights council #Treaty Mechanisms Division #cat79

[torturevictimsday]

2086th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

Related Sites and Documents

CAT 79 Session (15 Apr 2024 - 10 May 2024)

Watch the Review of Liechtenstein 2086th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#cruel treatment #committee against torture (cat) #meetings #victims of torture #against torture #independent experts #un human rights council #states parties #convention against torture #cruel punishment #cat79 #Liechtenstein

[torturevictimsday]

2084th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Watch the Consideration of Azerbaijan (cont'd) - 2084th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#azerbaijan #committee against torture (cat) #meetings #victims of torture #cruel punishment #convention against torture #against torture #cruel treatment #states parties #independent experts #un human rights council #unog

[torturevictimsday]

2087th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Consideration of Azerbaijan - The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

CAT 79 Session (15 Apr 2024 - 10 May 2024)

Watch the Consideration of Azerbaijan - 2087th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#committee against torture (cat) #meetings #cruel punishment #convention against torture #independent experts #states parties #un human rights council #azerbaijan

[torturevictimsday]

2084th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Watch the Review of Azerbaijan - 2084th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#committee against torture (cat) #victims of torture #cruel punishment #convention against torture #cruel treatment #against torture #meetings #states parties #independent experts #un human rights council #Azerbai #azerbaijan

[torturevictimsday]

2079th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

CAT 79 Session (15 Apr 2024 - 10 May 2024)

Watch the Replies of Honduras - 2079th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#victims of torture #committee against torture (cat) #meetings #convention against torture #states parties #independent experts #cruel punishment #against torture #cruel treatment #honduras #un human rights council

[torturevictimsday]

2077th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Replies of Austria - Watch the 2077th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)!

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

CAT 79 Session (15 Apr 2024 - 10 May 2024)

#convention against torture #cruel punishment #committee against torture (cat) #victims of torture #un human rights council #meetings #austria #independent experts

[torturevictimsday]

2076th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

CAT 79 Session (15 Apr 2024 - 10 May 2024)

Review of Honduras - Watch the 2076th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#honduras #convention against torture #committee against torture (cat) #cruel punishment #meetings #un human rights council #cat79 #plenary session

[torturevictimsday]

2074th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Review of Austria - Watch the 2074th Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#committee against torture (cat) #victims of torture #austria #meetings #cruel punishment #un geneva

[torturevictimsday]

2072nd Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Opening, swearing-in of new members, election of chairperson and officers, adoption of the agenda, organizational and other matters

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

Watch the 2072nd Meeting, 79th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT)

#independent experts #Committee Against Torture (CAT) #states parties #victims of torture #meetings #convention against torture

[torturevictimsday]

2074th Meeting, 78th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Closing of session. The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime. CAT 78th Session (30 Oct 2023 - 24 Nov 2023)

#cruel punishment #cruel treatment #meetings #victims of torture #committee against torture (cat) #States parties

[torturevictimsday]

2050th Meeting, 78th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Consideration of Denmark - 2050th Meeting, 78th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

CAT 78th Session (30 Oct 2023 - 24 Nov 2023)

#victims of torture #committee against torture (cat) #cruel punishment #Denmark #meetings

[torturevictimsday]

2039th Meeting, 77th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Closing of session.

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

CAT 77th Session (10 - 28 July 2023)

#committee against torture (cat) #meetings #convention against torture #cruel treatment #cruel punishment

[torturevictimsday]

2023rd Meeting, 77th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

Consideration of New Zealand. 

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

CAT 77th Session (10 - 28 July 2023)

#committee against torture (cat) #meetings #convention against torture

[torturevictimsday]

2015th Meeting, 77th Session, Committee Against Torture (CAT).

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its States parties. The Committee Against Torture works to hold States accountable for human rights violations, systematically investigating reports of torture in order to stop and prevent this crime.

Related Sites and Documents

CAT 77th Session (10 - 28 July 2023)

#committee against torture (cat) #meetings #switzerland #human rights violations #accountability

[torturevictimsday]

Protecting vulnerable groups from acts of torture in Africa.

The notion of a vulnerable person involves taking into consideration a particular weakness of the individual. Vulnerability not only forms the basis for the construction of legal rules, but is also used here as a pragmatic legal instrument to reinforce existing legal protection that appears insufficient, or to make up for a lack of legal protection for the person in a given situation. The vulnerable person is thus seen as a functional concept, likely to adapt to any particular need for legal protection [Marion Blondel. La personne vulnérable en droit international. Droit. Université de Bordeaux, 2015. P.60]. Exposure to acts of torture requires specific protection, especially when it concerns vulnerable groups. What does torture mean? The UNCAT defines torture as follows: " any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions" [Article 1 of UNCAT.]. 

The CPTA's 2023 annual theme "Torture and Vulnerable Groups in Africa" aims to address the issue of protecting vulnerable groups from acts of torture in Africa. The topics to be addressed in this newsletter will provide answers to the following question: do vulnerable groups benefit from effective protection against acts of torture in Africa?

Without being exhaustive, the various contributors will be able to build their analyses around the following axes: - Strategies for protecting vulnerable groups from torture: NGO experiences - The legal framework for protecting vulnerable groups against acts of torture: how effective is it?  - Vulnerable groups facing torture: the current situation  - Etc.

Writing guidelines: Number of pages: 5 pages maximum; font: Time new roman; size: 12; line spacing: single. At the beginning of the text, include a 100-word summary and a 100-word abstract in two different languages.  Authors should write the titles of their contributions in bold, font 14, Time new roman; with indications of first and last names followed by titles and institutions.

Deadline for submission:  Authors must submit their original contributions by July 30, 2023, to the following address: [email protected] 

Information notes: The Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa, formerly the Follow-up Committee of Robben Island, is a special mechanism of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. Under its terms of reference, the Committee must:  - Organize, with the support of other interested partners, seminars to disseminate the Robben Island guidelines to national and international actors. - Develop and propose to the African Commission strategies for the promotion and implementation of the Robben Island Guidelines at national and regional level. - Promote and facilitate the implementation of the Robben Island Guidelines within member states. - Report to the African Commission, at each ordinary session, on the status of implementation of the Robben Island Guidelines.

TORTURE

#Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa (CPTA) #victims of torture #against torture #Robben Island Guidelines #African Commission #Torture and Vulnerable Groups

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Statement of the ACHPR on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2023.

The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, through its Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPTA), commemorates the symbolic date of June 26, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. 

For the past twenty-six years, the commemoration of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Torture has highlighted the urgent need for our continent and the rest of the world to adopt protection mechanisms for victims, and to put an unequivocal end to all forms of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. This commemoration is of particular importance to the CPTA, which continues to support African states by encouraging them to adopt and ratify international instruments against torture. We would also like to congratulate those states on our continent that are fully committed to implementing these instruments, thus contributing to the eradication of impunity. The CPTA wishes to express its sincere gratitude to all those actors, from civil society and academic institutions, who, through their active involvement in advocacy actions, place their academic expertise at the service of human rights and the preservation of the intrinsic dignity of every human being. We urge them to persevere in their noble efforts. 

To date, a total of 54 countries have signed up to the United Nations Convention against Torture, demonstrating their commitment to the protection of fundamental rights. The Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa (CPTA) urges these states to persevere in implementing essential mechanisms and practices, such as training security officers, safeguarding the physical and mental well-being of persons deprived of their liberty, and guaranteeing improved access to prevention and redress mechanisms. Furthermore, it is important to practice zero tolerance towards abusive acts, torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. It is imperative to emphasize that the challenges of the continent, as well as security, political instability and conflict, can contribute to situations of instability conducive to such treatment.

As we mentioned two years ago, the declaration of states of emergency in several countries represented fertile ground for all kinds of deprivation of individual freedoms and excessive use of force by national security officials. We urged States to take the utmost precaution in the face of possible abuses of these provisions. The Robben Island Guidelines state that "public order", a "national emergency"[ Guideline 10] or "superior orders"[ Guideline 11] must not be used as a justification or excuse for acts of torture and other ill-treatment. 

We regret to see these contexts repeated today in several countries, under the guise of security threats. 

We are concerned by the rise in violence and war in many regions, and by the resulting abuses, crimes and acts of terror. We call on states to put into action² peaceful solutions to conflict resolution, and to take measures to put an end to all excesses committed against the population, in particular vulnerable people, such as people on the move, those suffering from physical or mental disorders, women, minors and LGBTQI+ people. Furthermore, despite initiatives proposing alternatives to detention, we still observe prison overcrowding, deficiencies in the classification system and difficulties in accessing healthcare, and insufficient means committed to effective reintegration.

At the same time, this commemoration gives us an opportunity to report on the progress made as a whole, and to highlight the work of the CPTA and its partners, including civil society, international NGOs and NHRIs. 

We welcome the adoption of the Mendez principles and the mobilization of the international community in favor of these new principles, which reinforce the prevention of torture from the very first hours of detention. 

The ACHPR has encouraged States to adopt these principles, and has also contributed to the progress made in providing access to rights for people wishing to refer urgent cases of torture to the CPTA, with the introduction of the Abidjan Rules. We are currently in the process of disseminating this new form of urgent procedure. To this end, we have begun training courses for NHRIs, civil society associations, international NGOs and legal practitioners in the 5 regions of the continent.  

2020 initiated resolution 472 Prohibiting the use, production, export and trade of tools for torture. Through this resolution, the Commission called on all States to assume their responsibilities with regard to the use of security tools and weapons for torture, and insisted on the responsibility of States in the trade of tools dedicated to this practice. Today, we can see that the fruit of this work has enriched the global reflection launched by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture. 

Today, while continuing to enrich research on this theme, we are highlighting our 2023 annual theme of "Vulnerable Groups facing Torture", with a particular focus on the many acts of violence, aggression, deprivation of liberty, inhuman or degrading treatment and torture perpetrated against vulnerable groups such as women;   indigenous communities and minorities; people living with HIV (PLHIV); the elderly and people with physical or mental disabilities; refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and migrants; human rights defenders; and finally, people who are victims of enforced disappearance. 

The CPTA is firmly committed to combating violence, torture and inhuman treatment of vulnerable people. Their vulnerability depends not only on social perception or administrative status, but also on difficult access to legal, medical and mental health support. In times of war, they are the first victims, and their need for support is even more crucial. In times of deprivation of liberty, their vulnerability is heightened. We call on states to be more attentive to their needs, to put an end to abuses and to guarantee their human rights in dignity.

Twenty years after the adoption of the OPCAT, CPTA calls on African states that have not yet done so to ratify the Optional Protocol and promptly mobilize the resources needed to set up national preventive mechanisms. It urges them to criminalize acts of torture and ill-treatment, and to establish independent and impartial commissions of inquiry to investigate such acts. It is imperative to rigorously prevent torture in all places, including those where freedom is restricted. 

#convention against torture #Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa (CPTA) #victims of torture #against torture #Robben Island Guidelines #African Commission #Torture and Vulnerable Groups #International Day in support of the victims of torture #26 june