Visiting places of torture

THE SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will commemorate the International Day in Support for the Victims of Torture today by visiting places where people were deprived of their liberty across the country.

The day is traced back to June 26, 1987, when the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into force.

The convention is the main international mechanism which proclaimed the absolute prohibition of torture in binding international law instrument.

“We mark this day against the backdrop of the decision on March 28, 2019, by Parliament to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, Cruel, Inhuman Treatment or Punishment (Opcat).

“The commission notes and commends the government for depositing the Opcat instrument of ratification with the secretary-general of the UN in New York on June 20 this year. This means that the Opcat will enter into force for South Africa on July 20, 2019,” said SAHRC communications co-ordinator Gushwell Brooks.

Central to the convention, according to the SAHRC, is a system of regular, independent visits to places of detention, which in turn serves as an important safeguard against abuses, and prevent torture and ill-treatment in places that fall outside public scrutiny.

“This is done through the designation of a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment from taking place through monitoring places of deprivation of liberty.

“South Africa has adopted a multiple-body NPM, with the SAHRC in a lead and co-ordinating role, alongside other institutions with a monitoring mandate, such as the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services,” Brooks said.

The SAHRC holds its first official NPM meeting tomorrow.