United Nations
CAT/OP/PRY/1
Distr.: General
Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and
Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
7 June 2010
English
Original: Spanish
Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture
Report on the visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment to the Republic of Paraguay * , **
Contents
Paragraphs Page
Preliminary remarks1–83
Introduction9–164
I.Facilitation of the visit and cooperation17–205
II.Safeguards against torture and ill-treatment21–556
A.Legal context22–296
B.Institutional context30–557
III.National Preventive Mechanism (Mecanismo nacional de prevención – MNP)56–5812
IV.Situation of persons deprived of their liberty59–23713
A.National Police stations59–14413
B.Prisons145–21828
C.Neuropsychiatric hospital219–22440
D.Repercussions of the visit225–22641
E.Additional information provided by the State party227–23741
V.Summary of recommendations and requests for information238–31343
A.Recommendations238–31143
B.Requests for information312–31352
Annexes
I.List of senior officials and others with whom the delegation met54
II.Places of deprivation of liberty visited by the SPT56
Preliminary remarks
1.The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) was
established following the entry into force in June 2006 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). The SPT began its work in February 2007.
2.The aim of the OPCAT is “to establish a system of regular visits undertaken by independent international and national bodies to
places where people are deprived of their liberty”, in order to prevent torture and any form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment.This report uses the generic term “ill-treatment” to refer to any form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment. The term should be understood in its widest sense, to include inter alia detention in inadequate physical conditions. The
SPT’s work has two main aspects, namely visiting places of deprivation of liberty and advising States parties on the development and
functioning of bodies designated to carry out regular visits – the national preventive mechanisms (NPMs). The SPT focus is empirical:
its main task is to identify in situ the situations and factors that pose a risk of torture or ill-treatment and to determine the practical
measures needed to prevent such violations.