CAT/OP/POL/CNPMRO/1
Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture increases public awareness of the problem of
torture and conducts training and lectures on the subject. As part of the campaign, a poster
“No to torture” was developed and was sent, among others to all penitentiary
establishments, police stations, youth care centres, correctional centres for minors, closed
centres for migrants. By displaying the poster, the managers of the establishments make it
clear that they are against all forms of ill-treatment and seek to build the culture of no
acceptance of torture. Visitors to these places can use the QR code placed on the poster to
use their mobile phones to find the website dedicated to the social campaign. There, they
can find information e.g. on how to react when they witnesses torture or other forms of illtreatment. Also, the National Headquarters of the Prison Service received printed posters
with contact data of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture and the
Commissioner’s Office. The National Headquarters of the Prison Service declared they
would place the posters on an information board in all wards of every prison and every
remand facility in Poland.
53.
As part of the campaign, leaflets have also been compiled to explain what the
National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture is and how it works, what torture is, and
what the preventive visits look like. The leaflets contain contact information for victims or
witnesses of torture. The leaflets are distributed by persons conducting the NMPT
preventive visits, among persons deprived of liberty and among employees of the
establishments. Also, the leaflets have been translated into four languages: English, Russian,
Ukrainian and Vietnamese and posted on the website www.kmpt.rpo.gov.pl The website
also contain infographics on the Mechanism, which, as part of the ongoing social campaign,
have been prepared by the National Bar Council.
Comments on the recommendation(s) contained in paragraph 36
54.
The NMPT cooperates with non-governmental organizations whose scope of interest
as well as tasks relates to broadly understood prevention of torture and inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment. This cooperation consists primarily in the exchange of
information related to the situation of persons held in various places of deprivation of
liberty across the country. At the beginning of the NMPT’s activity in Poland, one of its
main partners was a coalition of non-governmental organizations and academic
communities, named Coalition for the introduction of OPCAT.3 The Coalition, since the
beginning of its existence, supported the establishment of the National Preventive
Mechanism in Poland, and its guidelines regarding the operation and reports of the
Mechanism are still a valuable tool for its development.
55.
Furthermore, representatives of non-governmental organizations took part in
thematic visits conducted by the national preventive mechanism as external experts. A
relevant agreement was signed with each expert, according to which he/she is required to
draw up an expert opinion in return for adequate remuneration.
56.
Representatives of the Polska bez Barier foundation and the Integracja foundation
participated in thematic visits to remand facilities and prisons, that were carried out to
monitor the exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities (19 joint visits). They are also
the authors of the standards referred to in the NMPT reports on planning the accessibility of
buildings and rooms (such standards are not yet legislative documents). Moreover, the
Polska bez Barier foundation prepared the NMPT staff members for verifying the
observance of the rights of persons with disabilities, by conducting a two-day workshop on
space adaptations to the needs of people with disabilities.
57.
A psychologist from the International Humanitarian Initiative participated in
thematic visits to closed centres for migrants, to ensure proper psychological care for them
(3 joint visits).
3
12
On 26 October 2007, a task group was established at the University of Warsaw, the Institute of Social
Prevention and Rehabilitation, which consists of representatives of academic communities and nongovernmental organizations working for human rights and their protection. Major human rights
organizations were also invited to cooperate, such as: Amnesty International Polska; Helsinki
Foundation for Human Rights; Association for Legal Interventions; International Lawyers Committee,
Poland Chapter; Unit for Criminology and Crime Combating Policy, at the University of Warsaw;
and the Sławek foundation.
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