121
Recognizing that States have the primary responsibility for implementing those articles, that
strengthening the protection of people deprived of their liberty and the full respect for their
human rights is a common responsibility shared by all and that international implementing
bodies complement and strengthen national measures,
Recalling that the effective prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment requires education and a combination of various legislative, administrative, judicial and other measures,
Recalling also that the World Conference on Human Rights firmly declared that efforts to
eradicate torture should first and foremost be concentrated on prevention and called for
the adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention, intended to establish a preventive
system of regular visits to places of detention,
Convinced that the protection of persons deprived of their liberty against torture and other
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment can be strengthened by non-judicial
means of a preventive nature, based on regular visits to places of detention,
Have agreed as follows:
Part I
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Article 1
The objective of the present Protocol 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 other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 2
1. A Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of the Committee against Torture (hereinafter referred to as the Subcommittee on Prevention) shall be established and shall carry out the functions laid down in the
present Protocol.
2. The Subcommittee on Prevention shall carry out its work within the framework of the
Charter of the United Nations and shall be guided by the purposes and principles thereof,
as well as the norms of the United Nations concerning the treatment of people deprived of
their liberty.
3. Equally, the Subcommittee on Prevention shall be guided by the principles of confidentiality, impartiality, non-selectivity, universality and objectivity.
4. The Subcommittee on Prevention and the States Parties shall cooperate in the implementation of the present Protocol.
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents