CAT/C/60/3
I.
Introduction
1.
Article 16 (3) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment provides that the Subcommittee on
Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
shall present a public annual report on its activities to the Committee against Torture.
Pursuant to that provision, the tenth annual report, covering the Subcommittee’s activities
from 1 January to 31 December 2016, was considered and adopted by the Subcommittee at
its thirty-first session, and is being submitted to the Committee against Torture at its
sixtieth session.
II. Year in review
A.
Participation in the Optional Protocol system
2.
As at 31 December 2016, 83 States were party to the Optional Protocol. In 2016,
three States ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol: Cabo Verde (1 April), Ghana (23
September) and the Central African Republic (11 October).
3.
4.
B.
The pattern of regional participation was as follows:
African States
21
Asia-Pacific States
9
Eastern European States
19
Latin American and Caribbean States
15
Western European and other States
19
The regional breakdown of the 16 signatory States was as follows:
African States
10
Asia-Pacific States
1
Eastern European States
0
Latin American and Caribbean States
1
Western European and other States
4
Organizational and membership issues
5.
During the reporting period, the Subcommittee held three one-week sessions in
Geneva: the twenty-eighth session (15-19 February), the twenty-ninth session (13-17 June)
and the thirtieth session (14-18 November).
6.
At the sixth meeting of States parties to the Optional Protocol, held on 27 October
2016, 12 members were elected to fill the vacancies arising in respect of members whose
terms of office would expire on 31 December 2016. The terms of office of the newly
elected members commenced on 1 January 2017 and will expire on 31 December 2020.
7.
The membership of the Subcommittee remained unchanged throughout the year. All
members attended all sessions, with the exception of Dame Lowell Goddard and Aneta
Stanchevska, who, for personal reasons, did not attend the thirtieth session.
8.
The Bureau of the Subcommittee remained unchanged, its mandate running until the
thirty-first session (February 2017). The Chair was Sir Malcolm Evans. The Vice-Chairs
were: Enrique Andrés Font, Visits; Suzanne Jabbour, External Relations; Paul Lam Shang
Leen, National Preventive Mechanisms; and Aisha Shujune Muhammad, Jurisprudence and
Subcommittee Rapporteur.
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