Publication highlights Introduction 26. Sixteen CPT visit reports were published in 2017, confirming once again the well-established trend of states deciding to lift the veil of confidentiality and place the Committee’s findings in the public domain. As of 31 December 2017, 370 of the 411 reports drawn up so far have been published. A state-by-state table showing the current situation as regards publication of CPT visit reports is set out in Appendix 6. 27. The CPT welcomes the fact that the authorities of Azerbaijan decided in 2017 to publish two reports concerning their country. However, these were reports on visits that took place more than ten years ago. In 2013, the Russian Federation had agreed to the publication of the visit reports on the CPT’s 2011 ad hoc visit to the North Caucasian region, as well as on the 2012 periodic visit to the Russian Federation. However, 19 of the remaining 20 reports have not yet been published. The CPT hopes that the clear message given by the Committee of Ministers in February 2002, encouraging “all Parties to the Convention to authorise publication, at the earliest opportunity, of all CPT visit reports and of their responses”, will be heeded by the authorities of both Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. The Committee is keen to pursue its work in these countries, through close co-operation with the authorities and informed dialogue with all other relevant interlocutors. Obviously, the publication of the CPT’s reports would greatly facilitate this process. At the time this report went to press, of all the 45 Council of Europe member states that have an established practice of publishing CPT reports (i.e. excluding Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation), Turkey is the only state which still has one unpublished report dating back from before 2017. The CPT very much hopes that Turkey will shortly publish this CPT report as well as its response.2 28. Authorising the publication of documents related to visits is indicative of the strength of commitment to the implementation of the CPT’s recommendations. During 2017, however, no additional states informed the CPT of their decision to authorise in advance the publication of all future CPT visit reports and related government responses concerning their country, leaving the total number of states 2. See also Resolution 2156 (2017) of the Parliamentary Assembly on “The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey”. ► Page 15