CAT/OP/GBR/RONPM/1
I. Introduction
1.
In accordance with its mandate under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Subcommittee
on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
carried out its first visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 8
to 19 September 2019.
2.
The United Kingdom ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 8 December 1988 and the Optional
Protocol thereto on 10 December 2003. In 2014, the State party extended the ratification of
the Optional Protocol to the territory of the Isle of Man. The European Convention for the
Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment applies to the
United Kingdom, as it is a member of the Council of Europe. 1
3.
The Subcommittee was represented by Daniel Fink (head of delegation),
Satyabhooshun Gupt Domah, Suzanne Jabbour, June Caridad Pagaduan Lopez, Kosta
Dragan Mitrovic, and Zdenka Perović. The Subcommittee was assisted by three human rights
officers and two security officers from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights.
4.
The objectives of the visit were to:
(a)
Provide advice and technical assistance to the national preventive mechanism,2
taking into account the Subcommittee’s guidelines on national preventive mechanisms
(CAT/OP/12/5);
(b)
Visit a range of places of deprivation of liberty in order to assist the State party
in effectively discharging its obligations under the Optional Protocol and to reinforce the
protection of persons deprived of their liberty from the risk of torture and ill-treatment.
5.
This visit takes into consideration the decisions of the Subcommittee (June 2018) and
the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment (July 2018) to reinforce complementarity and subsidiarity to reflect their
respective strengths and added values.3 In the light of those decisions, and bearing in mind
the latter’s visits to the United Kingdom in 2018 and 2019, 4 the Subcommittee visit was
focused primarily on the assessment of the functioning of the national preventive mechanism
and visits to places of deprivation of liberty not covered by the Committee in its recent visits.
6.
The Subcommittee held meetings with the relevant authorities, the Equality and
Human Rights Commission and members of civil society. It also held meetings with different
entities comprising the national preventive mechanism. This enabled the Subcommittee to
understand the mechanism’s working methods, as well as its achievements and challenges.
Moreover, to observe the mechanism’s work in practice, the Subcommittee participated in
joint visits to several places of deprivation of liberty chosen by the mechanism (see annex).
The visits were led by the national preventive mechanism, with the members of the
Subcommittee acting as observers.
7.
The present report contains a series of recommendations for the national preventive
mechanism of the United Kingdom. The recommendations are made pursuant to the
Subcommittee mandate to advise and assist the national preventive mechanisms, in
accordance with article 11 (b) (ii) and (iii) of the Optional Protocol.
8.
The Subcommittee requests that the national preventive mechanism reply within six
months of the date of transmission of the present report, giving an account of the actions
taken and a road map for full implementation of the recommendations.
1
2
3
4
The United Kingdom, one of the founding members of the Council of Europe, became a member of
the Council on 5 May 1949.
Optional Protocol, art. 11 (b) (i).
See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23407&LangID=E.
See www.coe.int/en/web/cpt/united-kingdom.
3