Propose your project to implement recommendations made by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture before 15 October 2012. The new Call for Application to the OPCAT Special Fund has been made public for 2013. Deadline for application is 15 October 2012 and applicants may require grants of up to USD 50,000 for the implementation of the projects.

As last year, applicants should focus their applications on the implementation of recommendations made by the SPT during its visits and contained in public SPT reports. For the 2013 Call for Proposal, the eligible countries are:

  • Benin
  • Brazil
  • Honduras
  • Maldives
  • Mexico
  • Paraguay
  • Sweden

 

Who can apply to the OPCAT Special Fund?

States Parties and National Preventive Mechanisms from the countries mentioned above can apply to the Special Fund, as well as National Human Rights Institutions, if compliant with Paris Principles and NGOs, in particular if the projects are implemented in cooperation with States Parties and / or NPMs.

Projects should address specific thematic priorities (as listed below). In addition to the thematic priorities identified, projects addressing other specific recommendation in the visit reports that details a pressing and compelling need could be considered.

Benin

  • Notifications of fundamental rights to detainees in a language which they can understand;
  • Safeguards against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in police custody, including training to law enforcement personnel;
  • Developing standardised and unified police records;
  • Reduction of overcrowding in places of detention through the processing of cases of remand detainees and the development of a computer based programme, allowing monitoring the state of legal proceeding for pre-trial detainees and the date of release of sentenced detainees;
  • Educational activities for prisoners, in particular women and children.

 

Brazil

  • Notifications of fundamental rights to detainees in a language which they can understand;
  • Developing standardised and unified police records;
  • Developing training programmes for detention personnel;
  • Promoting detainees’ right to legal counsel, including the development of a public defender’s central register of allegations of torture and ill-treatment.

 

Honduras

  • Strengthen and support to the NPM;
  • Notifications of fundamental rights to detainees in a language which they can understand;
  • Safeguards against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in police custody, including the development of standardised and unified police records;
  • Fight against impunity, including legislative reform and the strengthening of the capacity and independence of investigative organs;
  • Implementation of the new law on the penitentiary system.

 

Maldives

  • Notifications of fundamental rights to detainees in a language which they can understand;
  • Safeguards against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in police custody, including training to law enforcement personnel and the development of a nationwide complaints register;
  • Developing standardised and unified police records;
  • Structuring medical routine examination, including the proper recording and assessment of injuries and the provision of training on the use of the Istanbul Protocol;
  • Ensuring that disciplinary measures conform to international human rights standards.

 

Mexico

  • Notifications of fundamental rights to detainees in a language which they can understand;
  • Fight against impunity, including the strengthening of the capacity and independence of investigative organs and the effective use of the Istanbul Protocol;
  • Safeguards against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in police custody, including the abolishment of the practice of arraigo;
  • Strengthening the preventive role and mandate of the Ombudsman;
  • Strengthen and support of sentence enforcement courts.

 

Paraguay

  • Strengthen and support to the NPM;
  • Notifications of fundamental rights to detainees in a language which they can understand;
  • Safeguards against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in police custody, including avoiding prolonged periods of police custody;
  • Promoting detainees’ right to legal counsel from the very outset of deprivation of liberty and during all stages of criminal proceedings;
  • Fight against impunity, including the strengthening of prosecutors’ capacity to investigate torture cases and the provision of training on the Istanbul Protocol.

 

Sweden

  • Strengthen and support to the NPM;
  • Safeguards against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in police custody, including access to interpretation;
  • Regulating restrictions to remand detainees according to international human rights standards;
  • Structuring medical routine examination, including screening of suicidal risk.

 

Applications can be submitted in English, Spanish or French. Application forms and Guidelines are available in the three languages mentioned on the OPCAT Special Fund website.

For any further information, please contact the OPCAT Special Fund Secretariat.

News Monday, August 20, 2012