CAT/C/48/3 I. Introduction 1. This report is the first to cover the work of the expanded Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1 (the Subcommittee) of 25 members – making the Subcommittee the largest of the United Nations human rights treaty bodies. It has been a stimulating year for the Subcommittee, with reflection on past achievements and the building blocks for future change put in place, whilst it has continued to exercise both its visiting and national preventive mechanism (NPM) mandate. The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Optional Protocol) continues to attract new States parties, and interest in its work continues to grow. This report follows the model established in the Subcommittee’s fourth annual report and focuses on highlighting recent developments, introducing some matters of concern to the Subcommittee, setting out its position regarding a number of substantive issues and, finally, casting a forward look to the year ahead. 2. The Subcommittee wishes to emphasizes, as reflected throughout the report, that the opportunities presented by its expansion can only be achieved if those with a stake in the Optional Protocol system – the Subcommittee itself, the NPMs, States parties and the United Nations as a whole – fully embrace the spirit of prevention in a focused yet flexible fashion, to benefit those stakeholders with the greatest interest in the Optional Protocol system, namely persons deprived of their liberty who are at risk of torture and ill-treatment. II. The year in review A. Participation in the Optional Protocol system 3. As of 31 December 2011, 61 States are party to the Optional Protocol.2 Since January 2011, four States have ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol: Bulgaria (1 June 2011), Panama (2 June 2011), Tunisia (29 June 2011) and Turkey (27 September 2011). In addition, four States have signed the Optional Protocol during the reporting period: Greece (3 March 2011), Venezuela (1 July 2011), Cape Verde (26 September 2011) and Mauritania (27 September 2011). 4. As a result of the increase in the number of States parties, the pattern of regional participation has changed somewhat, the number of parties in each region is now as follows: States parties by region 1 2 Africa 11 Asia 6 Eastern Europe 17 Established following the entry into force in June 2006 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. For the text of the Optional Protocol, see www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cat-one.htm. In accordance with the Optional Protocol (art. 16, para. 3), the Subcommittee presents its public annual reports to the Committee against Torture. For a list of the States parties to the Optional Protocol, see the Subcommittee’s website. 3