"OPCAT + 10: Making a difference in torture prevention" - APT holds a debate on torture prevention at the United Nations in New York
The year 2012 marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) by the United Nations General Assembly. Within ten years, significant advances have occurred in the area of prevention of torture and other ill-treatment:
- The Optional Protocol entered into force on 22 June 2006, and 62 States from all regions of the world are now parties to the OPCAT;
- More than 30 national preventive mechanisms have been created and have started to demonstrate the impact of a preventive approach;
- A specialized committee of the United Nations was established and have begun visiting States Parties to monitor places of detention, cooperate with national preventive mechanisms and make recommendations to better prevent torture and other ill-treatment;
- More than half of UN member States have already signed up to this new system of prevention of torture under the OPCAT.
The Permanent Mission of France (OPCAT State Party), APT and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights are organizing a panel discussion for all Permanent Representatives in New York to be well-briefed, on “OPCAT +10: making a difference in the field of torture prevention”. It will be held Thursday, May 10, 2012 (1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.), in Conference Room 7 (NLB). It will gather renowned international and national experts to share their experiences and identify challenges in the developing field of torture prevention.
