CAT/C/60/3
25.
As at 31 December 2016, 23 States parties had not complied with their obligations
under article 17 of the Optional Protocol. This is a matter of great concern to the
Subcommittee, particularly since some States parties still appear to be making little
progress in fulfilling their obligations. At each Subcommittee session, the regional teams
review progress towards the fulfilment of each State party’s obligation, making appropriate
recommendations to the plenary on how the Subcommittee can best advise and assist the
States parties concerned, in accordance with its mandate under article 11 (b) (i) of the
Optional Protocol.
26.
At its twenty-seventh session the Subcommittee decided to identify those States
parties that appeared to be making little real progress on the establishment of their national
preventive mechanism. At its twenty-eighth session, with a view to making its concerns
public, the Subcommittee sought information from the following States parties on the
measures they were taking to establish their respective national preventive mechanisms:
Argentina, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Chile, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Lebanon, Liberia, Nigeria and Panama.
27.
At its twenty-ninth session, and after analysing responses received, the
Subcommittee identified the following States parties in which the designation of a national
preventive mechanism was more than three years overdue: Argentina, Benin, Burkina Faso,
Cambodia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Lebanon, Liberia, Nigeria
and Panama. It decided to make public this decision (CAT/OP/29/1) and to post the list on
its website. 1 At its thirtieth session, and after having sought relevant information, the
Subcommittee added Nauru to the list. The list will continue to be revised at each session of
the Subcommittee. A State listed as not in compliance with its article 17 obligations will be
eligible for removal from the list once the official designation of its national preventive
mechanism has been received and verified.
28.
The Subcommittee has continued to engage in dialogue with States parties and
signatories at its sessions concerning the designation or functioning of their national
preventive mechanisms. At its twenty-eighth, twenty-ninth and thirtieth sessions, it held
meetings with the Permanent Missions of Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Chile, Ghana, Nicaragua and the Republic of Moldova. Between sessions, the
secretariat also met with State representatives from Nauru.
29.
At the twenty-ninth session, the Subcommittee held an informal meeting with States
parties and signatories to the Optional Protocol, during which States parties were updated
on the recent activities of the Subcommittee, discussed the working methods of the
Subcommittee, its resources and the Special Fund established under the Optional Protocol,
and considered the future direction of the Subcommittee’s work.
30.
The Subcommittee established and maintained direct contact with national
preventive mechanisms themselves, in accordance with its mandate under article 11 (b) (ii)
of the Optional Protocol. During its sessions in 2016, the Subcommittee met or had
videoconferences with the national preventive mechanisms of Ecuador, Greece,
Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. It also met with
representatives of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
31.
The Subcommittee and its members have continued to receive invitations to attend
numerous national, regional and international meetings on the designation, establishment
and development of national preventive mechanisms in particular and on the Optional
Protocol in general. The Subcommittee is grateful to the organizers of those and all other
events to which it has been invited. It regrets that its participation must remain conditional
on the financial support of others, as it has no budget allocation with which to fund its
members’ attendance.
1
6
See www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Pages/Article17.aspx.