CAT/C/39/2 page 5 PART ONE: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE I. INTRODUCTION 1. In accordance with article 20 of the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”) if the Committee against Torture (hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”) receives reliable information which appears to it to contain well-founded indications that torture is being systematically practised in the territory of a State party, the Committee shall invite that State party to cooperate in the examination of the information and, to this end, to submit observations with regard to the information concerned. The Committee may subsequently decide to designate one or more of its members to undertake a confidential inquiry which may include, with its agreement, a visit to the territory of the State party concerned. The proceedings of the Committee under these processes are confidential and at all stages the cooperation of the State party is sought. After the proceedings have been completed, the Committee may, after consultation with the State party concerned, decide to include a summary account of the results in its annual report to the States parties to the Convention and the General Assembly. 2. Brazil ratified the Convention on 28 September 1989. At the time of ratification it did not declare that it did not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in article 20 of the Convention, as it could have done under article 28 of the Convention. The procedure under article 20 is, therefore, applicable to Brazil. II. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROCEDURE 3. In November 2002, the non-governmental organizations World Organization against Torture and Action by Christians against Torture (ACAT-Brazil) submitted information1 to the Committee on the alleged systematic practice of torture in Brazil and requested the Committee to examine the situation in Brazil under article 20 of the Convention. This information summarized a previous report prepared by seven Brazilian NGOs working with prisons and detention centres concerning allegations of torture in the State of São Paulo for the period between 2000 and 2002.2 1 “Information to the Committee against Torture submitted under article 20 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment concerning the situation in Brazil”, World Organization against Torture and ACAT Brazil, 4 November 2002. 2 “Follow-up to torture allegations in the State of São Paulo 2000/2002”, a joint collaboration between the following NGOs: Ação dos Cristãos para a Abolição da Tortura ACAT/Brazil; Pastoral on Detention Centres/SP; Centre for Global Justice; AMAR; AFACE; Torture Never Again; Psychotherapist’s Union/SP.