CAT/OP/TGO/1 I. Introduction 1. The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment carried out its first regular visit to Togo from 1 to 10 December 2014, in accordance with the provisions of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. During its visit, the delegation met with the Togolese authorities, including the Prime Minister, Mr. Arthème Ahoomey-Zunu, as well as with the National Human Rights Commission and civil society representatives. 2. The Subcommittee visited 25 places of deprivation of liberty in the towns of Lomé, Atakpamé, Kara, Mango, Tsévié, Notsé and Aného, including police stations, gendarmeries, prisons, military camps, the psychiatric hospital in Aného, the Cabano Unit of Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé and the Juvenile Division in Lomé. The visits made in the five different regions enabled the delegation to gain a representative overview of conditions in the country, leading it to conclude that the situation of persons deprived of their liberty in Togo was of serious concern. 3. The delegation was made up of the following Subcommittee members: Mr. Fortuné Gaetan Zongo (head of delegation), Mr. Paul Lam Shang Leen, Mr. Victor Madrigal-Borloz and Ms. Catherine Paulet. The Subcommittee members were assisted by five staff members of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), including two security officers. 4. At the conclusion of the visit, on 10 December, the Subcommittee gave an oral presentation of its preliminary, confidential observations to the Togolese authorities. In the present report, the Subcommittee presents its findings and recommendations regarding the prevention of the torture and ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the State party. The generic term “ill-treatment” is used to refer to any form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 5. The Subcommittee requests the Togolese authorities to reply to this report within six months of the date of its transmission, giving a full account of the actions they have taken to fulfil the recommendations contained herein. 6. The report will remain confidential until such time as the Togolese authorities decide to make it public, as stipulated in article 16 (2) of the Optional Protocol. The Subcommittee wishes to draw the State party’s attention to the possibility of applying for funding from the Special Fund established in accordance with article 26 of the Optional Protocol, for specific projects to implement the recommendations contained in this report, on condition that the report has been made public. 7. The Subcommittee recommends that Togo consider publishing this report in accordance with article 16 (2) of the Optional Protocol. 8. The Subcommittee regrets the considerable delay in presenting the report to the State party. II. Facilitation of the visit and cooperation 9. The Subcommittee wishes to express its gratitude to the Togolese authorities for the high-level meetings held during the visit and for the information provided. It should be noted, however, that most of the requested documents, including the draft criminal code, the bill on the national preventive mechanism and the necessary credentials, were provided during meetings when the visit was already under way. The delegation was therefore unable to take those texts into consideration when preparing for the visit. 10. The Subcommittee wishes to thank the Togolese authorities for their cooperation during the visit. Access to places of deprivation of liberty was consistently facilitated and the staff involved cooperated constructively. The Subcommittee regrets, however, that it GE.17-06858 3