Subcom mittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Decision on the need for additional meeting time for the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment *

1.The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment currently holds three one-week sessions each year. This has been the case since it commenced its work in February 2007, when the Subcommittee had 10 members and there were 34 States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Currently, the Subcommittee has 25 members and 80 States are party to the Optional Protocol.

2.From 2007 to 2013, the Subcommittee undertook, under article 11 (a) of the Optional Protocol, an average of 3.7 visits a year, and adopted a corresponding number of reports. The Subcommittee undertook 7 visits in 2014 and 8 visits in 2015. It plans to carry out 10 or 11 visits in 2016, which will more than double the number of visits and reports within a timespan of two years. 3.The same increase has been seen in the number of substantive papers adopted and the amount of advice and assistance provided to States parties and national preventive mechanisms under article 11 (b) of the Optional Protocol. This is a result of the increase in the number of States parties to the Optional Protocol from 61 in 2012 to 80 in 2015. There has been a similar increase in the number of national preventive mechanisms requesting advice and assistance from the Subcommittee, as there are currently 57 such mechanisms. In addition, the Subcommittee assists the 23 States parties that have not yet done so to establish a national preventive mechanism in accordance with the Optional Protocol.

4.Therefore, in order to keep pace with the increase in activities mandated under articles 11 (a) and (b) and 26 of the Optional Protocol, the Subcommittee requires, initially, at least one additional week of meetings a year and a corresponding increase in staff and other resources. This will enable the Subcommittee to continue: (a) to undertake more visits and adopt more reports; and (b) to assist States parties in establishing and operating national preventive mechanisms in accordance with the Optional Protocol and the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles).

5.Consequently, the Subcommittee decides to request the Secretary-General to include, as appropriate, in his 2016 report on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 68/268, a reference to the need for the Subcommittee to have, initially, a minimum of one additional week of meetings a year and the necessary support staff and resources.