Ecuador - OPCAT Situation

OPCAT Status

OPCAT ratification date
UNCAT ratification Date
NPM Type

Ombuds Institution

NPM Designated

Ombudsperson's Office (Defensoría del Pueblo)

NPM Legal Framework

NPM Resolution N°111 by the Ombudpserson's Office (8 November 2011)

Ecuador ratified the OPCAT in 2010. In November 2011, the Ombudsperson’s Office adopted a resolution to regulate its functions as NPM. This decision was endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which notified the SPT in February 2012.

The SPT conducted an NPM advisory visit to Ecuador in September 2014. The SPT report to the NPM was made public while the SPT report to the State has not been made public yet.

The SPT member who is the SPT Focal Point for Ecuador is available here.

NPM Structure

A new NPM unit was established within the Ombudsperson’s Office. The NPM adopted two documents that regulate its daily work:

  • Guidelines on coordination between the NPM and local offices of the Ombudsperson’s Office in different provinces of Ecuador (available in Spanish)
  • Protocols for conducting visits to places of detention (available in Spanish). 
Annual reports

The NPM's annual reports are available on its website.

Other Reports

Other reports, such as visit and thematic reports, may be available on the NPM's website.