Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT)

The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“SPT”) is a new kind of treaty body in the United Nations human rights system. It was created by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and has a preventive mandate focused on an innovative, sustained and proactive approach to the prevention of torture and ill treatment. The SPT started its work in February 2007 with 10 members and expanded to 25 members in January 2011.

The SPT has an operational role which consists in visiting all places of detention in States parties, and an advisory function which consists in providing assistance and advice to both States parties and National Preventive Mechanisms (“NPM”). In addition, the SPT cooperates, for the prevention of torture in general, with the relevant United Nations organs and mechanisms as well as with international, regional, and national institutions or organizations. The SPT presents a public annual report on its activities to the Committee against Torture and convenes three times a year for sessions of one week duration at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

IDA is a member of the OPCAT Contact Group, a group of nine NGOs and one academic institution which work on the promotion and implementation of OPCAT. IDA member, the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP), is also a member of the OPCAT Contact group.

NEWS!

  • The Sub-Committee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT) held its 16th session from 20 - 24 February. On 22 February, the SPT met with the OPCAT Contact Group (Group of NGOs involved in work related to implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, of which IDA and the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP) are members) for a thematic discussion on mental health in detention in preparation for a workshop to be held during their 17th session in June in which several experts will be invited to discuss this topic with SPT members in closed session, which will be followed by an open session to involving other stakeholders including civil society. Submission prepared by WNUSP, and endorsed by IDA, sent to the SPT for the thematic discussion.
    The SPT will be making the following country visits in 2012: Argentina, Gabon, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova and Senegal.  If you would like to submit information on the deprivation of liberty of persons with disabilities in those countries, and particular places of detention that should be visited, please contact vlee@ida-secretariat.org for further details.
  • The Sub-Committee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT) held its 15th session from 14-18 November. The SPT visited Brazil from 19 - 30 September 2011. Further information on the cities and places of detention visited during this visit. The SPT announced that it will be making the following country visits in 2012: Argentina, Gabon, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova and Senegal. For further details, visit the SPT Committee’s website.
  • The Sub-Committee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT) met for its 14th session from 20-24 June.  From 16 – 25 May 2011, the SPT undertook its 12th country visit, this time to the Ukraine, where it met with relevant national authorities and representatives of civil society and conducted visits to a number of places of deprivation of liberty.  More information on this country visit.
  • IDA, in co-operation with some of its member organisations, submitted a document in October 2009 on recommendations for monitoring of psychiatric institutions.