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Benin - OPCAT Situation

Updated 07.05.2013

Benin was one of the first States in Africa to ratify the OPCAT in September 2006. It should have designated its NPM by the end of 2007. However, discussions have been ongoing since then on the establishment of the NPM. There is a consensus to create a new institution to prevent torture and ill-treatment in Benin (a so-called National Observatory for Prevention of Torture) but the process leading to the adoption of the NPM legislation has been somehow stalled for several years.

The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture visited Benin in 2007 and Benin is the first State Party in Africa that authorised the publication of both the SPT in-country visit report as well as the governmental responses to the SPT recommendations.

The SPT member Hand Draminsky petersen is the SPT Focal Point for Benin.

Opcat status
OPCAT Ratification September 20, 2006
UNCAT Ratification March 12, 1992
NPM Designated

Under Consideration

Information
Population 7 862 944
Area (sq km) 112 620
Number of prisons 8
Prison population 5 834
Quick links

SPT: Report (May 2008) and Response from the State (March 2011)

CAT: Concluding observations (November 2007)

UPR: Draft Report of the Working Group (October 2012)

African Commission on Human and People’s Rights: Periodic Report (2000-2008)