CAT/OP/5
Guideline 2
Establishment of the programme of visits
2.
In accordance with article 13 of the Optional Protocol, the Subcommittee shall
establish a programme of visit activities, which may be subject to modification. The
programme shall be determined by the Subcommittee in plenary on the advice of its
regional teams.
3.
In drawing up the programme, the Subcommittee shall have regard to the provisions
of articles 1, 11 (para. 1 (c)) and 31 of the Optional Protocol.
4.
The programme will be made public at the conclusion of the Subcommittee session
at which it is adopted.
5.
The Subcommittee may inform the State party concerned of the Subcommittee’s
intention to undertake a visit to it, in order to enable it to make the necessary practical
arrangements for the visit to be carried out effectively, including the designation of one or
more focal points, the issuance of credentials and the provision of any additional
information requested in accordance with article 12 (b) of the Optional Protocol.
6.
The dates of each visit will be made public one week following the notification of
such dates to the State party.
Guideline 3
Visiting delegations
7.
Visits shall be conducted by at least two members of the Subcommittee, none of
whom shall have the nationality of the country to be visited or shall have been nominated
for election by the country to be visited or shall have any other known connection with the
country to be visited that may give rise to a potential conflict of interest.
8.
The members of the Subcommittee with responsibility for carrying out a visit shall
act in the name of the Subcommittee. The head of the delegation shall be determined by the
Bureau, in consultation with the delegation.
9.
The programme for each country visit shall be developed by the delegation in
conjunction with the secretariat and the Bureau.
10.
The Subcommittee may decide that a delegation conducting a visit shall be assisted
by one or more experts as provided for in article 13, when that is desirable. The
Subcommittee shall select from the roster established in accordance with article 13,
paragraph 3, any expert(s) who is (are) to accompany its delegation on a visit. A delegation
shall not be assisted by an expert who is a national of the State party to be visited or has any
other known connection with the country to be visited that may give rise to a potential
conflict of interest.
11.
The Subcommittee may decide that a delegation conducting a visit shall be assisted
by interpreters.
12.
At least one member of the secretariat of the Subcommittee shall participate in each
visit.
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