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National Preventive Mechanisms
Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture
The Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture is the first instrument entrusting national bodies – National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) – with a role in the implementation of the treaty.
NPMs regularly visit national and local places of detention and have day-to-day contact with authorities. They have a key role to play in preventing torture and complementing the work of international bodies. To do this, NPMs must be empowered to perform their functions effectively. For this reason, the drafters of the Optional Protocol stipulated legal obligations for States parties concerning the independence, mandate and budgetary resources of NPMs.
Annual reports received from NPMs
| Country | Date of ratification/accession | National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) | Communication from State Parties regarding the designation of the NPM |
| Designated NPM notified by the State Party to the SPT | |||
| Albania | 01.10.2003 (a) | People's Advocate | Correspondence |
| Argentina | 15.11.2004 | Comité Nacional para la Prevención de la Tortura y Otros Tratos o Penas Crueles, Inhumanos o Degradantes | Correspondence |
| Armenia | 14.09.2006 (a) | Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia | Correspondence |
| Austria | 04.12.2012 | Austrian Ombudsman Board | Correspondence |
| Azerbaijan | 28.01.2009 | The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) | Correspondence |
| Bolivia | 23.05.2006 | Servicio para la Prevención de la Tortura – SEPRET | Correspondence Annexes: 1-2-3-4 Information contained in the confidential SPT visit report |
| Brazil | 12.01.2007 | Mecanismo Nacional de Prevenção e Combate à Tortura (MNPCT) | Correspondence |
| Bulgaria | 01.06.2011 | Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria | Correspondence |
| Burkina Faso | 07.07.2010 | Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme | Correspondence |
| Cabo Verde | 01.04.2016 | Commission Nationale des Droits Humains et Citoyenneté | Correspondence 1 |
| Cambodia | 30.03.2007 | National Committee against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | Correspondence |
| Chile | 12.12.2008 | Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención de Tortura | Correspondence |
| Costa Rica | 01.12.2005 | Defensoria de los Habitantes | Correspondence |
| Croatia | 25.04.2005 | Ombudsperson | Correspondence |
| Cyprus | 29.04.2009 | Commissioner of Administration/Ombudsman | Correspondence |
| Czechia | 10.07.2006 | Public Defender of Rights | Correspondence and Annex I |
| Denmark (and Greenland) | 25.06.2004 | The Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman
|
Correspondence
|
| Ecuador | 20.07.2010 | Defensoría del Pueblo | |
| Estonia | 18.12.2006 | Office of the Chancellor of Justice (Ombudsman) | Correspondence |
| Finland | 08.10.2014 | The Parliamentary Ombudsman of Finland | Correspondence |
| France | 11.11.2008 | Contrôleur Général des lieux de privation de liberté | Correspondence |
| Georgia | 09.08.2005 (a) | Office of the Public Defender | Correspondence |
| Germany | 04.12.2008 | The Federal Agency for the Prevention of Torture and the Join Commission of the Lander were designated as NPM
The first one will deal with federal institutions and the second one will deal with Lander authorities |
Correspondence |
| Greece | 11.02.2014 | The Greek Ombudsman | Correspondence |
| Guatemala | 09.06.2008 | Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención de la Tortura | Correspondence Not for public distribution
Correspondence and Annex |
| Honduras | 23.05.2006 | National Committee for the Prevention of Torture | Correspondence
Information contained in the public SPT visit report |
| Hungary** | 12.01.2012 (a) | Commissioner for Fundamental Rights | Correspondence |
| Iceland | 20.02.2019 | Althing Ombudsman | Correspondence |
| Italy | 25.04.2014 | National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty | Correspondence |
| Kazakhstan** | 22.10.2008 | Commissioner for Human Rights | Correspondence |
| Kyrgyzstan | 29.12.2008 (a) | National Center on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | Correspondence |
| Latvia | 10.12.2021 (a) | Ombudsman’s Office | Correspondence |
| Lebanon | 22.12.2008 (a) | Sous-comité pour la prévention de la Torture | Correspondence |
| Liechtenstein | 03.11.2006 | Corrections Commission | Correspondence |
| Lithuania | 20.01.2014 (a) | Seimas Ombudsmen's Office | Correspondence |
| Luxembourg | 19.05.2010 | Médiateur du Grand Duché de Luxembourg | Correspondence |
| Maldives | 15.02.2006 | Human Rights Commission | Correspondence
Public SPT Report on the first periodic visit to Maldives, |
| Mali | 12.05.2005 | Commission nationale des Droits de l'Homme | Correspondence |
| Malta | 24.09.2003 | Board of Visitors for Detained Persons and the Board of Visitors of the Prisons | Correspondence |
| Mauritania | 03.10.2012 | Mécanisme national de prévention de la torture | Correspondence |
| Mauritius | 21.06.2005 (a) | National Human Rights Commission | Correspondence
Information contained in the confidential SPT visit report |
| Mexico | 11.04.2005 | Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos | Correspondence
Information contained in the public SPT visit report |
| Mongolia | 12.02.2015 | National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia | Correspondence |
| Montenegro | 06.03.2009 | Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, Ombudsman | Correspondence |
| Morocco | 24.11.2014 (a) | Conseil National des Droits de l’Homme (CNDH) | Correspondence |
| Mozambique | 01.07.2014 (a) | . | . |
| Netherlands | 28.09.2010 | Four national inspectorate bodies comprise the Dutch NPM, and are coordinated by the Inspectorate of Security and Justice | Correspondence |
| New Zealand | 14.03.2007 | Human Rights Commission (central NPM) The Judge Advocate General | Correspondence |
| Nicaragua | 25.02.2009 | Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos | Correspondence |
| North Macedonia | 13.02.2009 | Ombudsman of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
The non-governmental organizations registered in the State Party and organizations which have acquired the status of humanitarian organizations in the State Party, may perform some of the competences of the NPM, in agreement with, and with prior consent of the Ombudsman. |
Correspondence |
| Norway | 27.06.2013 | Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration | Correspondence |
| Paraguay | 02.12.2005 | Comisión Nacional de Prevención de la Tortura y otros tratos o penas crueles, inhumanos o degradantes | See CAT/OP/PRY/2/Add.1, para. 6 |
| Peru | 14.09.2006 (a) | Correspondence | |
| Poland | 14.09.2005 | The Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection (Ombudsman) | Correspondence |
| Portugal | 15.01.2013 | Provedor de Justiça (Ombudsman) | Correspondence |
| Republic of Moldova | 24.07.2006 | Centre for Human Rights (Ombudsman) in combination with the Consultative Council | Correspondence |
| Romania | 02.07.2009 | The People's Advocate | Correspondences 1-2 |
| Rwanda | 30.06.2015 (a) | National Commission for Human Rights | Correspondence |
| Senegal | 18.10.2006 | Observateur national des lieux de privation de liberté | Correspondence |
| Serbia | 26.09.2006 | Protector of Citizens (Ombudsman) | Correspondences 1-2 |
| Slovenia | 23.01.2007 (a) | Human Rights Ombudsman | Correspondence |
| Spain | 04.04.2006 | El Defensor del Pueblo | Correspondence |
| Sri Lanka | 05.12.2017 | Human Rights Commission | Correspondence |
| Sweden | 14.09.2005 | Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Chancellor of Justice | Correspondence |
| Switzerland | 24.09.2009 | Commission nationale de prévention de la torture | Correspondence |
| Togo | 20.07.2010 | Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme | Correspondence |
| Tunisia | 29.06.2011 (a) | l'Instance Nationale pour la Prévention de la Torture | Correspondence |
| Türkiye | 27.09.2011 | National Human Rights Institution of Türkiye | Correspondence |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 10.12.2003 | The UK NPM is comprised of 21 separate bodies, is led by a NPM chair and coordinated by HMIP. The Isle of Man NPM has three members. | Correspondences 1-2-3-4 |
| Ukraine | 19.09.2006 | Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights | Correspondence |
| Uruguay | 08.12.2005 | Institución Nacional de Derechos Humanos | Correspondence |
| No designation of NPM notified by the State Party to the SPT | |||
| Afghanistan | 17.04.2018 | ||
| Belize | 04.09.2015 (a) | ||
| Benin | 20.09.2006 | ||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 24.10.2008 | ||
| Burundi | 18.10.2013 (a) | . | . |
| Central African Republic | 11.10.2016 (a) | ||
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 23.09.2010 | ||
| Gabon | 22.09.2010 | ||
| Ghana | 23.09.2016 | ||
| Liberia | 22.09.2004 (a) | ||
| Madagascar* | 21.09.2017 | ||
| Nauru | 24.01.2013 (a) | ||
| Niger | 07.11.2014 (a) | ||
| Nigeria | 27.07.2009 (a) | ||
| Panama | 02.06.2011 | ||
| Philippines** | 17.04.2012 (a) | ||
| South Africa | 20.06.2019 | ||
| South Sudan | 30.04.2015 (a) | ||
| State of Palestine* | 29.12.2017 | ||
* One year deadline to maintain, designate or establish NPMs not yet expired - article 17 of the OPCAT
** Declaration made under article 24 of the OPCAT