| remit |
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) - UK only; Ireland signed in 1992 but has yet to ratify
- periodic reports every 4 years
- individual complaints (not allowed by UK)
- inter-state complaints (allowed by UK if state complaining about UK has agreed to accept complaints against itself)
|
| type of issues considered |
- cases of torture (Article 1)
- cases of other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 16)
- cases where people have been deported, returned or extradited to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of torture (Article 3)
- failure to examine complaints about torture and lesser forms of ill-treatment promptly and impartially (Article 13)
- failure to pay compensation in cases of torture (Article 14)
- reliance in any proceedings against victims on statements extracted from them by torture (Article 15)
|
| number of members |
10 “experts of high moral standing and recognised competence in the field of human rights” |
| how nominated |
by States party to CAT |
| how elected |
ditto; for 4 year periods; can stand again; no more than one member per country; regard must be had to geographical distribution and usefulness of some members having legal experience; half committee stands down every 2 years |
| reports to |
General Assembly |
| reports when |
annually |
| outline procedure |
- government submits report
- NGOs make submissions
- at hearing, government presents report
- Country Rapporteur asks questions
- other Committee members ask questions
- government replies
- final comments by Committee members
- closed session to consider views
- public expression of Committee’s conclusions and recommendations
|
| current members (name, country of origin, date mandate expires) |
- Mr Peter Thomas BURNS (Canada 2003)
- Mr Guibril CAMARA (Senegal 2001)
- Mr Sayed Kassem EL MASRY (Egypt 2003)
- Ms Felice GAER (USA 2003)
- Mr Alejandro GONZALES POBLETE (Chile 2001)
- Mr António Silva HENRIQUES GASPAR (Portugal 2003)
- Mr Andreas Mavrommatis (Cyprus 2001)
- Mr Ole Vedel RASMUSSEN (Denmark 2001)
- Mr Alexander YAKOVLEV (Russian Fed 2001)
- Mr YU Mengjia (China 2001)
|
| un address |
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais des Nations United Nations 8 -14 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland |
| submissions by |
2 months prior to date set for discussion of next periodic report |
| secretary |
Ms Carmen Rosa RUEDA CASTAñON |
| ROOM NUMBER |
Room 1-021 |
| telephone |
00 41 22 917 9288 |
| fax |
00 41 22 917 9022 |
| e-mail |
crueda-castanon.hchr@unog.ch |
| relevant un leaflet(s) |
Methods of Combating Torture Fact Sheet No. 4 The Committee against Torture Fact Sheet No. 17 |
| established |
1988 |
| meets |
twice a year in Geneva, in May and November |
| came into force uk |
1989 |
| last uk report |
considered November 1998 |
| next uk report |
January 2002 |
| came into force ireland |
Not yet ratified |
| last Ireland report |
|
| next Ireland report |
|
| further reading |
The United Nations Convention Against Torture, Burgers J H and Danelius H, Nijhoff, Dordrecht/Boston/London 1988 |
| other remarks |
See also Special Rapporteur on Torture |
