Status
UNCAT ratification date
21 August 1986
OPCAT ratification date
18 October 2006
NPM designated
NPM Type
New Specialised Institution
NPM Legal Framework
NPM law n°2009-13 (02 March 2009)
NPM implementing decree n° 2011-842 (16 June 2011)
Senegal ratified the OPCAT in October 2006 and established a new institution as NPM in 2009 through the adoption of a specific legislation: the National Observer of Places of Deprivation of Liberty. The Senegalese NPM legislation is inspired by the French law, which created the General Controller of Places of Deprivation of Liberty.
In 2011, the implementing decree of the NPM legislation was approved by the Council of Ministers and the National Observer was appointed in 2012. A Secretary General of the institution was recruited the same year and the Senegalese NPM began its operations.
The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture carried out an NPM advisory visit to Senegal in December 2012. The report was sent in May 2013 to the authorities (still confidential) and to the NPM (made public in June 2013).
The SPT member who is the SPT Focal Point for Senegal is available here.
NPM Structure
The National Observer is assisted in his mandate by a Secretary General and a multidisciplinary team of observers. They include experts with a diversity of professional backgrounds, such as lawyers, magistrates, psychiatrists, former directors of penitentiary services, former chief of police, and former NGO members.
An advisory committee (Comité de Veille) was established by the decision of the National Observer to provide advice to the NPM. It is composed of representatives of NGOs and professional associations.
The National Observer adopted its rules of procedures to regulate the NPM work.
Annual reports
The National Observer presents its annual reports to Parliament. The reports may be available on the National Observer's website.
Other Reports
Other reports, such as visits and thematic reports, may be available on the NPM’s website.