CAT/C/40/2 page 4 I. INTRODUCTION 1. The present document is the first annual report of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 2. The Subcommittee was established1 following the entry into force in June 20062 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.3 As at 31 January 2008, the Optional Protocol had 34 States parties and 33 signatories.4 3. A total of 10 experts were elected by the then States parties as independent members of the Subcommittee in October 20065 and met for the first time in Geneva, at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on 19 February 2007. The present report gives an account of the work of the Subcommittee during its first year, covering the period from February 2007 to 15 March 2008.6 4. In accordance with the Optional Protocol,7 the Subcommittee submits its public annual reports to the Committee against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 1 In accordance with Article 2 paragraph 1 of the OPCAT. 2 The OPCAT entered into force on 23 June 2006, 30 days after the twentieth ratification/ accession, in accordance with Article 28,1 of the OPCAT. 3 The OPCAT was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in its Resolution 57/199 of 18 December 2002. Link to the text of the Optional Protocol: http://www2.ohchr.org/English/ law/cat-one.htm. 4 A list of States Parties to the OPCAT is contained in annex I. 5 Article 5 paragraph 1 provides that the number of SPT members shall increase to twenty-five with the fiftieth ratification of the OPCAT. 6 In future years, it is intended that the SPT’s public annual reports will cover a twelve month period; in its first year the SPT was invited to adopt an annual report at the end of its first session on 23 February 2007, but decided against doing so, as it met for the first time on 15 February to begin its work. 7 Article 16 paragraph 3.