UN torture prevention body confirms 2025 visit plan amid escalating global threats and conflicts

GENEVA – The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has announced and confirmed plans to visit Mozambique, New Zealand, Peru, Serbia, Afghanistan, Burundi, France, and Mexico at the conclusion of its latest session, reaffirming its commitment to preventing torture in action in the midst of rising global instability and armed conflicts.

“The world is watching, and history will not measure us by intentions or rhetoric, but by the actions we take to confront the challenges we face,” Suzanne Jabbour, Chair of the SPT, said at the 40^th anniversary event to commemorate the adoption of the Convention Against Torture, stating that the Subcommittee remains determined and ready to act.

Under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, the SPT monitors conditions for people deprived of their liberty by conducting unannounced visits to prisons, police stations, psychiatric hospitals, closed refugee camps and immigration detention centres. The SPT also works with domestic monitoring bodies - National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs), human rights institutions, government authorities, and civil society to strengthen preventive measures.

During its November session, the Subcommittee met with experts from other UN torture mandates and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on issues related to drug policies, treatment, and harm reduction.

“Engaging with specialists helps us provide stronger recommendations to improve detention conditions and reduce risks of torture and ill-treatment,” Jabbour said, highlighting the importance of addressing vulnerable individuals in places of deprivation of liberty. The Subcommittee issued guidance, officially known as General Comment 1, in July this year to clarify the broad definition of “places of deprivation of liberty” and to address questions from authorities and other stakeholders to enable effective and uniform interpretation and implementation of the Optional Protocol.

The SPT also reviewed and suggested several projects for the OPCAT Fund, which supports the implementation of SPT recommendations and NPM initiatives. It also maintained communication with the States parties overdue in establishing their NPM under OPCAT Article 17 to offer assistance. A complete list of these States is available online.