The Americas Programme works in partnership with a variety of national and regional actors to jointly pursue actions aimed at preventing torture and improving conditions of detention in the American continent.
Brasília: Federal Public Prosecutors for the Rights of Citizens
APT was invited to participate at the XVI National Meeting of Federal Public Prosecutors for the Rights of Citizens (XVI Encontro Nacional de Procuradoras e Procuradores dos Direitos do Cidadão), in Brasília, Brazil from 31 August - 01 September 2010. The meeting brought together representatives of the Federal Prosecutors Office for the Rights of Citizens of every state of Brazil. APT participated in the panel “Actions against torture in the system of places of detention in Brazil ” (“O enfrentamento à tortura nos sistemas de detenção do Estado”).
The Role of Preventive Mechanisms in Brazil
APT was invited by Catholic Prison Pastoral Care Brazil to take part in a seminar for the launching of its 'Report on Torture: an experience of monitoring places of detention for the prevention of torture' ('Relatório sobre Tortura: uma experiência de monitoramento dos locais de detenção para prevenção da tortura').
The seminar, which took place on 02 August 2010, discussed measures to combat and prevent torture in Brazil, and focused on the preventive role of monitoring visits to places of detention and the liability and prosecution of perpetrators.
Iniciativas federales y locales para prevenir la tortura en Argentina
Argentina ratificó el Protocolo Facultativo de la Convención contra la Tortura el 15 de noviembre de 2004, pero aún no estableció el Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención (MNP), ni se encuentra en funcionamiento ningún Mecanismo Local de Prevención (MLP). La APT ha sido invitada a auspiciar y participar en una actividad organizada por la Cancillería y la Representación para América del Sur del Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos para debatir de los proyectos de mecanismos nacionales y locales de prevención en Argentina, y más particularmente en la provincia de Buenos Aires.
Establishing Uruguay's NPM
The APT will conduct an advisory mission to Uruguay from 28 June to 1 July 2010, in order to contribute to the ongoing debate on the establishment of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM). Uruguay ratified the OPCAT on 8 December 2005 and designated its new National Human Rights Institution as NPM. The Institute has not been established yet. In that context, the APT will organise, jointly with the Regional Office for South America of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights a two-day seminar (30 June - 1 July) on NPMs.
More...
Americas - Thematic
Torture Law Compilation
The APT's research tool, the Compilation of Torture Laws, is accessible at www.apt.ch/laws
Focusing on issues related to the criminalisation of torture, this tool compiles national laws of State Parties to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT).