terms of the priority given to torture prevention in the region. OSCE experience to date reflects the view that the creation of effective national detention-monitoring bodies will proceed at different speeds, depending on previous experience in detention monitoring and the stage of democratic development in individual countries. This is unlikely to be a template for the manner of creation, form or operation of these national bodies. They can be crafted to fit individual contexts, as long as they embody or aspire to embody the essential qualities of independence and objectivity and have sufficient resources, expertise and access. It is essential for the OSCE region that high standards are maintained by all participating States with regard to respect for the absolute prohibition against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The OSCE, through its presence on the ground – and with the support of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) – can make a valuable contribution to this process by continuing to adopt a flexible and determined approach to combating torture and its underlying structural basis. 7