CAT/OP/SEN/2 I. Introduction 1. In accordance with the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“the Optional Protocol”), members of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“the Subcommittee”) visited the Republic of Senegal from 10 to 14 December 2012. 2. The Subcommittee was represented by the following members: Olivier Obrecht (head of delegation), Malcolm Evans, Aisha Shujune Muhammad and Aneta Stanchevska. 3. The Subcommittee was assisted by two human rights specialists and a security officer from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and by local interpreters. 4. The purpose of the visit was to provide advisory services and technical assistance to the national mechanism for the prevention of torture of Senegal, in accordance with article 11 (b) of the Optional Protocol. 5. This report sets out a series of recommendations for the National Observatory of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (“the Observatory”), which is the national prevention mechanism in Senegal. These recommendations are made in line with the Subcommittee’s duty to offer training and technical assistance with a view to capacity-building and to advise and assist national preventive mechanisms in evaluating their needs and identifying measures for providing greater protection for persons deprived of their liberty against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in accordance with article 11 (b), subparagraphs (ii) and (iii), of the Optional Protocol. 6. This report is being sent to the national preventive mechanism on a confidential basis; it will be up to the national preventive mechanism to decide whether or not to make it public. The Subcommittee does, however, recommend that the national preventive mechanism make the report public and requests that it be notified of the mechanism’s decision in that regard. 7. The Subcommittee will send the Government a separate confidential report, in which it will make recommendations to the State party. 8. The Subcommittee wishes to express its gratitude to the National Observatory of Places of Deprivation of Liberty for its cooperation and the facilitation of the visit. II. Conduct of the advisory visit 9. The advisory visit was planned jointly by the Subcommittee and the national preventive mechanism. Several private meetings were held with the Observatory to discuss matters regarding its establishment, its operation, its methods of work, its independence, arrangements for visits and the recommendations made following those visits. The Subcommittee and the Observatory also made joint visits to places of deprivation of liberty so that the Subcommittee could see the Observatory at work. 10. In addition to the meetings and visits carried out with the Observatory, the Subcommittee met representatives of the Senegalese Government and civil society organizations, the Chief of the OHCHR West Africa Regional Office in Dakar and the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Senegal. GE.13-45918 3