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CNDH meets with the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) received, on 24 October 2017 at its headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT).

During its meeting with the SPT, the CNDH delegation, chaired by Mr. Driss El Yazami, President of the Council, presented the draft law No. 76-15 on the reorganization of the CNDH. Mr El Yazami highlighted the status of the National Preventive Mechanisms against torture (NPM) in this bill. He also shed the light on the process leading to the establishment of the NPM, mainly consultations with relevant government departments and NGOs and training sessions for the future staff of the NPM, as well as national and international seminars.

At the same time, the CNDH stressed the actions and partnerships related to places of deprivation of liberty, including visits to places of detention, psychiatric hospitals, child protection centres and places where foreigners in an irregular situation are held. The number of visits to places of detention is around 300 per year,  with a view to conducting investigations and regular, special or preventive visits.

Special focus was given to the CNDH memorandum on the preliminary draft of the Penal Procedure Code, particularly proposals on the prevention of torture and the reduction of the risks of arbitrary detention, mainly during police custody.

The CNDH shared its experience about practices regarding the prevention of torture, which enable it to discharge the mandate of the NPM.

To be noted that, the UN delegation is visiting Morocco, for the first time, from 22 to 28 October 2017, after the accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The purpose of this visit is to advise Morocco to establish an NPM, and to conduct visits to places of deprivation of liberty and interview persons deprived of their liberty in order to assess how they are treated and the measures taken to protect them from torture and ill-treatment.

The SPT delegation is composed of: Mr. Hans-Jörg Viktor Bannwart (Head of Delegation, Switzerland), Mr. Gnambi Garba Kodjo (Togo), Ms. Radhia Nasraoui (Tunisia), Ms. Catherine Paulet (France) and Mr. Satyabhooshun Gupt Domah (Mauritius).