CAT/C/66/2
F.
Substantial non-compliance with article 17
21.
At its twenty-seventh session, the Subcommittee decided to identify those States
parties whose establishment of their national preventive mechanism was substantially
overdue and to record them on a list, available on the Subcommittee’s website.2 The list is
revised at each session of the Subcommittee, and States parties will be removed from the list
once the threshold for such removal is met, namely, that the Subcommittee has received: (a)
notification of the official designation of the national preventive mechanism; and (b) copies
of the documentation providing for its establishment and effective functioning. As at 31
December 2018, 12 States parties were listed: Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nauru, Nigeria,
Panama and the Philippines. This remains a matter of great concern to the Subcommittee,
particularly since some of these States parties still appear to be making little, if any, progress
towards fulfilling their obligations.
G.
Special Fund established under the Optional Protocol
22.
Support provided through the Special Fund established under article 26 (1) of the
Optional Protocol is directed towards projects aimed at establishing or strengthening national
preventive mechanisms, thereby contributing to the implementation of the relevant
Subcommittee recommendations made following a visit to a State party. In 2018, grants
amounting to $299,636 were awarded through the Special Fund to support 13 torture
prevention projects in 12 States parties during their implementation in 2019. The
Subcommittee has assisted in the assessment of project proposals and recommendations for
grants.
23.
The Subcommittee greatly appreciates the contributions to the Special Fund received
in the reporting period from Argentina ($3,500), Czechia ($9,164), Denmark ($152,000),
France ($24,539), Germany ($120,239) and Norway ($120,000). Nevertheless, it remains
mindful that further contributions will be necessary in order to support projects during the
2019–2020 grant cycle and beyond. The Subcommittee believes that the Special Fund
provides an essential tool for supporting and complementing the implementation of
Subcommittee recommendations aimed at the prevention of torture and ill-treatment, and
urges States to continue to support the Special Fund financially.
III. Engagement with other bodies in the field of torture
prevention
A.
International cooperation
1.
Cooperation with other United Nations bodies
24.
The Chair of the Subcommittee discussed the eleventh annual report of the
Subcommittee (CAT/C/63/4) with the Committee against Torture in plenary during the
latter’s sixty-third session.
25.
In conformity with General Assembly resolution 70/146, and together with the Chair
of the Committee against Torture and the Special Rapporteur on torture, the Chair of the
Subcommittee presented the Subcommittee’s eleventh annual report to the General Assembly
at the latter’s seventy-third session.
26.
As a member of the meeting of the Chairs of the human rights treaty bodies, the Chair
of the Subcommittee participated in the thirtieth meeting of the former, which was held in
New York from 29 May to 1 June 2018.
27.
On the eve of International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on
17 May, a statement was issued, to which the Subcommittee was a signatory, jointly with
2
6
See www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Pages/Article17.aspx.