Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture
Each country has its own NPM (or NPMs), while the SPT is a single monitoring mechanism at the international level.
Both NPMs and the SPT conduct visits to places of detention.
The SPT is made up of 25 independent and impartial experts from around the world.
It has two main functions:
- to conduct visits to places of detention in each country that is party to OPCAT, and;
- to provide advice and assistance to the countries which are party to OPCAT as well as to their NPMs.
Under OPCAT, the SPT must be able to visit the same places of detention as NPMs, and like NPMs can recommend action to be taken to improve the treatment of people who are or may be detained there.
Further information about the SPT is available on the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner website.
Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture's visit to Australia – October 2022
While NPMs are designed to conduct regular visits to places of detention, given the large number of countries which are party to OPCAT, visits from the SPT are much less frequent.
Australia has had one visit from the SPT since becoming a party to OPCAT. This was scheduled from 16-27 October 2022.
On 23 October 2023, part way through their visit, the SPT suspended their visit to Australia.
On 20 February 2023, the SPT released a statement to the media formally terminated its visit.
The SPT subsequently published their report which outlined their observations and concerns from the portion of the visit they were able to complete.
It cited several reasons for its decision, including being prevented from accessing certain places of detention and not being provided all the relevant information and documents requested.