The APT returned to Madagascar in December 2021, our first time in the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our work in Madagascar promotes safeguards in the first hours of police custody, particularly rights like access to family, which we know have a significant impact on reducing the risks of torture and ill-treatment.
New tools we developed alongside the police – such as standardised custody registers and a letter of rights – contribute to the desire of the police to become more professional and to the APT’s torture prevention goals.
Registers include an obligation on police to record any specific needs of detainees. This is particularly important for persons in situations of vulnerability, including children, foreigners, women and others.
The mission was an opportunity to build a basis for future work on the Méndez Principles. We held a national roundtable with the authorities to introduce the Principles and discuss the steps Madagascar can take to establish a national roadmap for implementation.
We also strengthened our connections with civil society and the national preventive mechanism, establishing a foundation for ongoing dialogue on how they can use their monitoring mandates to support further implementation of detention safeguards.
Finally, we launched a photography exhibition that will tour the country. It showcases images and captions that will bring information about detention safeguards to a wider audience.
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The APT returned to Madagascar in December 2021, our first time in the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
