United Nations

CAT/C/70/1

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Distr.: General

25 February 2021

Original: English

English, French and Spanish only

Committee against Torture

Seventieth session

Item 1 of the provisional agenda

Adoption of the agenda

Annotated provisional agenda

Provisional agenda

1.Adoption of the agenda.

2.Organizational and other matters.

3.Submission of reports by States parties under article 19 of the Convention.

4.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention.

5.Consideration of information submitted under article 20 of the Convention.

6.Consideration of communications submitted under article 22 of the Convention.

Annotations

1.Adoption of the agenda

Under rule 8 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the first item on the agenda of any session shall be the adoption of the agenda, except when the election of officers is required under rule 16. Under this item, the Committee will adopt the agenda for the session.

In accordance with rule 6 of the rules of procedure, the present provisional agenda has been prepared by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Chair of the Committee. In accordance with rule 9 of its rules of procedure, the Committee may revise the agenda during the session and may, as appropriate, defer or delete items; only urgent and important items may be added to the agenda.

2.Organizational and other matters

On 16 December 2020, all treaty bodies were informed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that, given the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the continuing travel restrictions, it would not be possible to hold in-person sessions of committees in Geneva until April 2021.

As a result of the above-mentioned decision, the seventieth session of the Committee will be held online from 26 to 28 April 2021, and will be opened by a representative of the Secretary-General. The first meeting will be convened on Monday, 26 April 2021, at 12.30 p.m.

The Committee will consider its programme of work for the session and any other matters concerning the modalities of discharging its functions under the Convention. There are a number of serious obstacles to conducting an online session, such as the time difference between the locations of members of the Committee. It is also necessary to ensure a secure and well-functioning platform and connectivity for all Committee members and other entities, regardless of their location, and to ensure interpretation in the working languages, an issue not fully resolved by the date of submission of the present provisional agenda. Owing to these obstacles, the Committee will not be in a position to carry out all of its activities. As a result, some activities, including the consideration of country dialogues and some private activities requiring extensive exchanges between Committee members with interpretation, will be postponed to another session.

3.Submission of reports by States parties under article 19 of the Convention

States parties to the Convention

As at 22 February 2021, there were 171 States parties to the Convention.

Reports received

As at 22 February 2021, the Secretary-General had received the following reports, which are pending consideration:

Reporting State party

Symbol

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Belgium

CAT/C/ARM/5

CAT/C/AUS/6

CAT/C/AUT/7

CAT/C/AZE/5

CAT/C/BEL/4

Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Brazil

Burundi

CAT/C/BOL/3

CAT/C/BRA/2

CAT/C/BDI/3

Chad

CAT/C/TCD/2

Colombia

CAT/C/COL/6

Costa Rica

Cuba

CAT/C/CRI/3

CAT/C/CUB/3

Denmark

Ecuador

CAT/C/DNK/8

CAT/C/ECU/8

El Salvador

Ethiopia

Finland

France

Honduras

CAT/C/SLV/3

CAT/C/ETH/2

CAT/C/FIN/8

CAT/C/FRA/8

CAT/C/HND/3

Iceland

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

CAT/C/ISL/4

CAT/C/IRQ/2

CAT/C/ISR/6

CAT/C/JOR/4

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kuwait

CAT/C/KAZ/4

CAT/C/KEN/3

CAT/C/KWT/4

Kyrgyzstan

CAT/C/KGZ/3

Liechtenstein

CAT/C/LIE/5

Lithuania

CAT/C/LTU/4

Luxembourg

CAT/C/LUX/8

Malawi

Monaco

Montenegro

CAT/C/MWI/1

CAT/C/MCO/7

CAT/C/MNE/3

New Zealand

CAT/C/NZL/7

Nicaragua

North Macedonia

CAT/C/NIC/2

CAT/C/MKD/4

Romania

CAT/C/ROU/3

Serbia

CAT/C/SRB/3

Slovakia

CAT/C/SVK/4

Slovenia

Somalia

CAT/C/SVN/4

CAT/C/SOM/1

Spain

CAT/C/ESP/7

Sweden

CAT/C/SWE/8

Switzerland

Thailand

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

Uruguay

State of Palestine

CAT/C/CHE/8

CAT/C/THA/2

CAT/C/TUR/5

CAT/C/TKM/3

CAT/C/UGA/2

CAT/C/UKR/7

CAT/C/ARE/1

CAT/C/URY/4

CAT/C/PSE/1

Initial reports

The status of submission of initial reports as at 22 February 2021 was as follows:

State party (since)

Initial reports

Overdue since

Date due or received

Angola (2019)

2 November 2020

Bahamas (2018)

1 July 2019

Botswanaa(2000)

7 October 2001

Central African Republic (2016)

10 November 2017

Comoros (2017)

25 June 2018

Côte d’Ivoireb (1995)

16 January 1997

Dominican Republicc (2012)

23 February 2013

Equatorial Guinea (2002)

6 November 2003

Eritrea (2014)

25 October 2015

Eswatini (2004)

25 April 2005

Fiji (2016)

14 April 2017

Gambia (2018)

28 October 2019

Grenada (2019)

27 October 2020

Guinea-Bissau (2013)

24 October 2014

Kiribati (2019)

22 August 2020

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (2012)

26 October 2013

Lesothod (2001)

11 December 2002

Liberia (2004)

22 October 2005

Malawie (1996)

Received on 14 October 2019

Malif (1999)

27 March 2000

Marshall Islands (2018)

12 April 2019

Nauru (2012)

26 October 2013

Nigeria (2001)

Oman

Saint Kitts and Nevis

28 June 2002

9 July 2021

21 October 2021

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2001)

30 August 2002

Samoa (2019)

28 April 2020

San Marino (2006)

27 December 2007

Sao Tome and Principe (2017)

10 February 2018

Somaliag (1990)

22 February 1991

Received on 16 December 2019

South Sudan (2015)

30 April 2016

United Arab Emirates (2012)

Received on 20 June 2018

Vanuatu (2011)

State of Palestine (2014)

11 August 2012

Received on 14 June 2019

a On 27 September 2019, the State party accepted the simplified reporting procedure offered by the Committee owing to the amount of time by which the initial report was overdue.

b On 29 January 2016, the State party accepted the simplified reporting procedure offered by the Committee owing to the amount of time by which the initial report was overdue.

c On 30 May 2018, the State party accepted the simplified reporting procedure offered by the Committee owing to the amount of time by which the initial report was overdue.

d On 23 July 2018, the State party accepted the simplified reporting procedure offered by the Committee owing to the amount of time by which the initial report was overdue.

e On 8 December 2016, the State party accepted the simplified reporting procedure offered by the Committee owing to the amount of time by which the initial report was overdue.

f On 26 July 2019, the State party accepted the simplified reporting procedure offered by the Committee owing to the amount of time by which the initial report was overdue.

g On 2 February 2017, the State party accepted the simplified reporting procedure offered by the Committee owing to the amount of time by which the initial report was overdue.

Periodic reports

The status of submission of periodic reports as at 18 February 2021 was as follows:

State party (since)

Periodic reports

Last report examined (date of examination)

Next report overdue (since)

Next report (date due or received)

Afghanistana (1987)

Second(April 2017)

Third(Due on 12 May 2021)

Albania (1994)

Second(May 2012)

Third(1 June 2016)

Algeria (1989)

Third(May 2008)

Fourth(20 June 2012)

Andorraa (2006)

Initial(November 2013)

Second(22 November 2017)

Antigua and Barbuda (1993)

Review in absence of initial report (July 2017)

Second(Due on 11 August 2021)

Argentinaa(1986)

Fifth and sixth (April 2017)

Seventh (Due on 12 May 2021)

Armeniaa (1993)

Fourth (November 2016)

Fifth (Received on 25 December 2020)

Australiaa (1989)

Fourth and fifth(November 2014)

Sixth (Received on 16 January 2019)

Austriaa (1987)

Sixth (November 2015)

Seventh(Received on 25 February 2020)

Azerbaijana(1996)

Fourth (November 2015)

Fifth(Received on 8 January 2020)

Bahraina (1998)

Second and third (April 2017)

Fourth (Due on 12 May 2021)

Bangladesh (1998)

Initial(July 2019)

Second(Due on 9 August 2023)

Belarusa (1987)

Fifth (May 2018)

Sixth (Due on 18 May 2022)

Belgiuma (1999)

Third (November 2013)

Fourth(Received on 1 October 2018)

Belizea (1986)

Initial (November 1993)

Initial and second (25 June 1996)

Benina (1992)

Third (May 2019)

Fourth(Due on 17 May 2023)

Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (1999)

Second (May 2013)

Third(Received on 11 February 2019)

Bosnia and Herzegovinaa (1993)

Sixth (November 2017)

Seventh(Due on 6 December 2021)

Brazila (1989)

Initial (May 2001)

Second(Received on 13 August 2020)

Bulgariaa(1986)

Sixth (November 2017)

Seventh(Due on 6 December 2021)

Burkina Faso(1999)

Second(November 2019)

Third (Due on 6 December 2023)

Burundi (1993)

Second(November 2014)

Third(Received on 14 September 2020)

Cabo Verde (1993)

Review in absence of initial report (November 2016)

Second(7 December 2020)

Cambodiaa (1992)

Second (November 2010)

Third (19 November 2014)

Cameroona (1986)

Fifth (November 2017)

Sixth(Due on 6 December 2021)

Canadaa (1987)

Seventh(November 2018)

Eighth(Due on 7 December 2022)

Chada (1995)

Initial (May 2009)

Second(Received on 13 September 2019)

Chilea (1988)

Sixth(July 2018)

Seventh(Due on 10 August 2022)

China (including Hong Kong, China, and Macao, China) (1988)

Fifth (November 2015)

Sixth(9 December 2019)

Colombiaa (1987)

Fifth (May 2015)

Sixth (Received on 27 May 2019)

Congo (2003)

Initial(May 2015)

Second(15 May 2019)

Costa Ricaa (1993)

Second (May 2008)

Third(Received on 17 December 2019)

Croatiaa (1992)

Fourth and fifth (November 2014)

Sixth(28 November 2018)

Cuba (1995)

Second (May 2012)

Third(Received on 19 October 2018)

Cyprusa (1991)

Fifth(November 2019)

Sixth(Due on 6 December 2023)

Czechiaa (1993)

Sixth(May 2018)

Seventh (Due on 18 May 2022)

Democratic Republic of the Congo (1996)

Second(May 2019)

Third (Due on 17 May 2023)

Denmarka (1987)

Sixth and seventh (November 2015)

Eighth(Received on9 December 2019)

Djibouti (2002)

Initial (November 2011)

Second(25 November 2015)

Ecuadora (1988)

Seventh (November 2016)

Eighth (Received on 2 December 2020)

Egypt (1986)

Fourth (November 2002)

Fifth (25 June 2004)

El Salvadora (1996)

Second (November 2009)

Third(Received on 4 June 2019)

Estoniaa(1991)

Fifth (May 2013)

Sixth(31 May 2017)

Ethiopia (1994)

Initial (November 2010)

Second (Received on 6 March 2020)

Finlanda (1989)

Seventh (November 2016)

Eighth (Received on 3 December 2020)

Francea (1986)

Seventh (May 2016)

Eighth(Received on 15 May 2020)

Gabona(2000)

Initial (November 2012)

Second(23 November 2016)

Georgiaa (1994)

Third (May 2006)

Fourth and fifth (24 November 2011)

Germanya (1990)

Sixth (May 2019)

Seventh(Due on 17 May 2023)

Ghanaa (2000)

Initial (May 2011)

Second (3 June 2015)

Greecea (1988)

Seventh(July 2019)

Eighth(Due on 9 August 2023)

Guatemalaa (1990)

Seventh(November 2018)

Eighth(Due on 7 December 2022)

Guinea (1989)

Initial(May 2014)

Second(23 May 2018)

Guyanaa(1988)

Initial (November 2006)

Second (31 December 2008)

Hondurasa (1996)

Second (July 2016)

Third (Received on 12 September 2020)

Hungarya (1987)

Fourth (November 2006)

Fifth and sixth (31 December 2010)

Icelanda (1996)

Third (May 2008)

Fourth(Received on 16 October 2018)

Indonesia (1998)

Second (May 2008)

Third (30 June 2012)

Iraq (2011)

Initial (July 2015)

Second(Received on 20 August 2019)

Irelanda (2002)

Second (July 2017)

Third(Due on 11 August 2021)

Israela (1991)

Fifth (May 2016)

Sixth(Received on 30 December 2020)

Italya (1989)

Fifth and sixth (November 2007)

Seventh(Due on 6 December 2021)

Japana (1999)

Second(May 2013)

Third(31 May 2017)

Jordana (1991)

Third (November 2015)

Fourth(Received on 19 February 2021)

Kazakhstana (1998)

Third(November 2014)

Fourth(Received on 5 December 2018)

Kenyaa (1997)

Second (May 2013)

Third(Received on 3 August 2018)

Kuwaita (1996)

Third (July 2016)

Fourth (Received on 14 August 2020)

Kyrgyzstana (1997)

Second(November 2013)

Third (Received on 31 January 2019)

Latviaa(1992)

Sixth (November 2019)

Seventh(Due on 6 December 2023)

Lebanon (2000)

Initial(April 2017)

Second(Due on 12 May 2021)

Libyaa (1989)

Third (May 1999)

Fourth (14 June 2002)

Liechtensteina (1990)

Fourth (November 2015)

Fifth(Received on 4 December 2019)

Lithuaniaa (1996)

Third (May 2014)

Fourth(Received on 19 December 2018)

Luxembourga (1987)

Sixth and seventh (May 2015)

Eighth (Received on 16 May 2019)

Madagascar (2005)

Initial (November 2011)

Second(25 November 2015)

Maldivesa (2004)

Initial(November 2018)

Second(Due on 7 December 2022)

Maltaa (1990)

Second (November 1999)

Third (12 December 2000)

Mauritania (2004)

Second(July 2018)

Third(Due on 10 August 2022)

Mauritiusa (1992)

Fourth(November 2017)

Fifth(Due on 6 December 2021)

Mexicoa (1986)

Seventh (May 2019)

Eighth(Due on 17 May 2023)

Monacoa (1991)

Sixth (November 2016)

Seventh (Received on 9 December 2020)

Mongoliaa (2002)

Second (July 2016)

Third(Due on 12 August 2020)

Montenegroa (2006)

Second (May 2014)

Third(Received on 7 August 2018)

Moroccoa (1993)

Fourth (November 2011)

Fifth(25 November 2015)

Mozambique (1999)

Initial(November 2013)

Second(22 November 2017)

Namibia (1994)

Second (November 2016)

Third(Due on 7 December 2020)

Nepal (1991)

Second (November 2005)

Third to fifth (12 June 2008)

Netherlandsa (1988)

Seventh(November 2018)

Eighth (Due on 7 December 2022)

New Zealanda (1989)

Sixth(May 2015)

Seventh(Received on 25 September 2019)

Nicaragua (2005)

Initial (May 2009)

Second(Received on 14 May 2019)

Niger (1998)

Initial(November 2019)

Second(Due on 6 December 2023)

North Macedoniaa (1994)

Third(May 2015)

Fourth(15 May 2019)

Norwaya (1986)

Eighth (May 2018)

Ninth (Due on 18 May 2022)

Pakistan (2010)

Initial(April 2017)

Second(Due on 12 May 2021)

Panamaa (1987)

Fourth (August 2017)

Fifth(Due on 11 August 2021)

Paraguaya (1990)

Seventh (July 2017)

Eighth(Due on 11 August 2021)

Perua (1988)

Seventh (November 2018)

Eighth (Due on 7 December 2022)

Philippinesa (1986)

Third(May 2016)

Fourth(13 May 2020)

Polanda(1989)

Seventh (July 2019)

Eighth(Due on 9 August 2023)

Portugala (1989)

Seventh(November 2019)

Eighth(Due on 6 December 2023)

Qatara (2000)

Third (May 2018)

Fourth (Due on 18 May 2022)

Republic of Koreaa(1995)

Third to fifth (May 2017)

Sixth (Due on 12 May 2021)

Republic of Moldovaa (1995)

Third (November 2017)

Fourth(Due on 6 December 2021)

Romaniaa (1990)

Second(May 2015)

Third (Received on 30 September 2019)

Russian Federationa (1987)

Sixth (July 2018)

Seventh(Due on 10 August 2022)

Rwanda (2008)

Second (November 2017)

Third(Due on 6 December 2021)

Saudi Arabia (1997)

Second (May 2016)

Third (13 May 2020)

Senegala (1986)

Fourth (May 2018)

Fifth(Due on 18 May 2022)

Serbiaa (2001)

Second (May 2015)

Third(Received on 10 April 2019)

Seychelles (1992)

Initial (July 2018)

Second(Due on 10 August 2022)

Sierra Leone (2001)

Initial(May 2014)

Second(23 May 2018)

Slovakiaa (1993)

Third (July 2015)

Fourth (Received on 14 August 2019)

Sloveniaa (1993)

Third (May 2011)

Fourth (Received on 11 October 2019)

South Africaa(1998)

Second (May 2019)

Third (Due on 17 May 2023)

Spaina (1987)

Sixth(May 2015)

Seventh(Received on 4 June 2019)

Sri Lanka (1994)

Fifth (November 2016)

Sixth (Due on 7 December 2020)

Swedena (1986)

Sixth and seventh(November 2014)

Eighth(Received on 26 November 2018)

Switzerlanda (1986)

Seventh (August 2015)

Eighth (Received on 16 July 2019)

Syrian Arab Republic (2004)

Initial (May 2010)

Second (14 May 2014)

Tajikistan (1995)

Third(May 2018)

Fourth (Due on 18 May 2022)

Thailanda (2007)

Initial (May 2014)

Second(Received on3 January 2021)

Timor-Leste (2003)

Initial(November 2017)

Second(Due on 6 December 2021)

Togoa (1987)

Third (July 2019)

Fourth(Due on 9 August 2023)

Tunisia (1988)

Third (May 2016)

Fourth(13 May 2020)

Turkeya (1988)

Fourth (May 2016)

Fifth(Received on27 October 2020)

Turkmenistan (1999)

Second (November 2016)

Third (Received on 7 December 2020)

Ugandaa (1986)

Initial (May 2005)

Second(Received on17 August 2020)

Ukrainea (1987)

Sixth(November 2014)

Seventh(Received on 30 November 2018)

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelanda (1988)

Sixth(May 2019)

Seventh(Due on 17 May 2023)

United States of Americaa (1994)

Third to fifth (November 2014)

Sixth(28 November 2018)

Uruguaya (1986)

Third (May 2014)

Fourth(Received on 9 July 2018)

Uzbekistan (1995)

Fifth(November 2019)

Sixth(Due on 6 December 2023)

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (1991)

Third and fourth(November 2014)

Fifth(28 November 2018)

Viet Nam (2015)

Initial(November 2018)

Second(Due on 7 December 2022)

Yemena (1991)

Second (May 2010)

Third (14 May 2014)

Zambiaa (1998)

Holy See

Second (May 2008)

Initial(May 2014)

Third (30 June 2012)

Second(23 May 2018)

a States part y submitting reports under the simplified reporting procedure.

4.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention

As explained above, owing to the C OVID- 19 pandemic and the im possibility of hold ing in- person sessions, the consideration of the six reports initially scheduled for the seventieth session has been postponed to 202 2 .

5.Consideration of information submitted under article 20 of the Convention

In accordance with the provisions of chapter XIX of its rules of procedure, the Committee considers information that has been, or appears to have been, submitted for its consideration under article 20 of the Convention.

In accordance with the provisions of article 20 (5) of the Convention and rules 78 and 79 of the rules of procedure, all documents and proceedings of the Committee relating to its functions under article 20 of the Convention are confidential and all the meetings concerning its proceedings under that article are closed.

6.Consideration of communications submitted under article 22 of the Convention

In accordance with the provisions of chapter XXI of its rules of procedure, the Committee considers communications that have been, or appear to have been, submitted to it under article 22 of the Convention.

In accordance with article 22 (6) of the Convention and rule 107, paragraph 1, of the rules of procedure, meetings of the Committee or its subsidiary bodies during which communications under article 22 of the Convention are examined are closed.