Warsaw, 25 September 2015 – The CTI has convened a meeting at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Human Dimension meeting involving key UN torture and detention experts.

The event was moderated by former UN Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary Detention, Mads Andenaes, with opening remarks by Mette Nørgaard Dissing-Spandet, Head of the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

In addition to setting out the background and objectives of the CTI, Ms Dissing-Spandet explained that the ultimate aim of the meeting was to understand the challenges and opportunities facing OSCE states regarding the implementation of the UNCAT, with a view to the CTI convening a major conference involving OSCE states at a later date.

With this objective in mind, Arman Danielyan of the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture spoke about the challenges faced by NPMs in the region, in particular problems with the methodology used to assess the success of visits and the lack of resources under which some NPMs must operate.

Konstantine Vardzelashvili of the UN Committee on Civil and Political Rights spoke about the need for the views and recommendations of independent investigatory bodies to be considered more seriously by Governments that appoint them. It was not enough simply for legislation to be passed establishing such bodies and states needed to demonstrate that they actually valued the role of independent advisers and investigators.

Finally, Jens Modvig of the UN Committee against Torture spoke of the need to ensure adequate provision for the rehabilitation of victims of torture, as required under the Convention. Mr Modvig was clear that it was not acceptable for states to simply argue that victims could obtain redress through the courts. Responding to a question from the audience, Mr Modvig also confirmed that lack of resources is   not an acceptable excuse for inadequate provision for victims of torture.

The CTI will now consider if the issues discussed at this event should be considered more widely by OSCE states at a major CTI event next year.

For more information on this event, please contact the CTI Secretariat.