There are currently 92 States Parties to the OPCAT, of which 77 States have designated their NPM

Africa

Africa

CountryDate of ratificationNPM OptionsNPM Type
Burkina FasoJuly 7, 2010

Commission nationale des droits humains

National Human Rights Commission

Cape VerdeApril 1, 2016

National Human Rights Commission

National Human Rights Commission

MadagascarSeptember 21, 2017

National Human Rights Commission

MaliMay 12, 2005

National Human Rights Commission (Commission Nationale des Droits de l’Homme)

National Human Rights Commission

MauritiusJune 21, 2005

National Human Rights Commission

MozambiqueJuly 1, 2014

National Human Rights Commission (Comissão dos Direitos Humanos)

National Human Rights Commission

NigerNovember 7, 2014

National Human Rights Commission

NigeriaJuly 27, 2009

National Committee on Torture

New Specialised Institution

RwandaJune 30, 2015

National Human Rights Commission

SenegalOctober 18, 2006

New Specialised Institution

South AfricaJune 20, 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission to be joined, eventually, by other institutions following legislative reform.

Multiple institutions

TogoJuly 20, 2010

National Human Rights Commission (Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme)

National Human Rights Commission

Americas

Americas

CountryDate of ratificationNPM OptionsNPM Type
ArgentinaNovember 15, 2004

National System to Prevent Torture, comprising:

  • National Committee for the Prevention of Torture (composed of 13 members, including the Ombudsperson for Federal Prisons (Procurador Penitenciario de la Nación);
  • a Federal Council of Local Preventive Mechanisms;
  • Local preventive mechanisms (to be designated) in each of the 24 provinces;
  • and public institutions and NGOs interested in the compliance of the OPCAT’s goals.

National Preventive System in Federal State

BoliviaMay 23, 2006

Ombudsman's Office of Bolivia

Ombuds Institution

BrazilJanuary 12, 2007

National Preventive System in Federal State

ChileDecember 12, 2008

National Human Rights Institute (Instituto Nacional de Derechos Humanos)

National Human Rights Commission

Costa RicaDecember 1, 2005

Decentralised unit within Ombudsperson's Office(Defensoría de los Habitantes)

Ombuds Institution

EcuadorJuly 20, 2010

Ombudsperson's Office (Defensoría del Pueblo)

Ombuds Institution

GuatemalaJune 9, 2008

New Specialised Institution

HondurasMay 23, 2006

New Specialised Institution

MexicoApril 11, 2005

Ombuds Institution

NicaraguaFebruary 25, 2009

Ombudsperson's Office (Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos)

Ombuds Institution

PanamaJune 2, 2011

Ombuds Institution

ParaguayDecember 2, 2005

New Specialised Institution

PeruSeptember 14, 2006

Ombudsperson's Office (Defensoría del Pueblo)

Ombuds Institution

UruguayDecember 8, 2005

National Human Rights Institution and Ombuds Institution (Institución Nacional de Derechos Humanos y Defensoría del Pueblo)

 

National Human Rights Commission

Asia Pacific

Asia Pacific

CountryDate of ratificationNPM OptionsNPM Type
AustraliaDecember 21, 2017

Commonwealth Ombudsman, with state and territory NPMs still to be designated.

Multiple Institutions

CambodiaMarch 30, 2007

Inter-governmental committee

Other: Inter-governmental Body

MaldivesFebruary 15, 2006

National Human Rights Commission

MongoliaFebruary 12, 2015

National Human Rights Commission

New ZealandMarch 14, 2007

5 different bodies coordinated by the Human Rights Commission (central NPM), and including the Office of the Ombudsman, the Independent Police Conduct Authority, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Inspector of Service Penal Establishments of the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces.

Multiple Institutions

Sri LankaDecember 5, 2017

National Human Rights Commission

Europe

Europe

CountryDate of ratificationNPM OptionsNPM Type
AlbaniaOctober 1, 2003

People's Advocate (Avokati i Popullit)

Ombuds Institution

ArmeniaSeptember 14, 2006

Ombuds Institution

AustriaDecember 4, 2012

Austrian Ombudsman Board (Volksanwaltschaft)

Ombuds Institution

AzerbaijanJanuary 28, 2009

Ombuds Institution

BulgariaJune 1, 2011

Ombuds Institution

CroatiaApril 25, 2005

Ombudswoman, in cooperation with representatives of the academic community and human rights NGOs

Ombuds Institution

CyprusApril 29, 2009

Ombuds Institution

Czech RepublicJuly 10, 2006

Ombuds Institution

DenmarkJune 25, 2004

Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman, in collaboration with DIGNITY (NGO) and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (National Human Rights Institution)

Ombuds Plus Institution

EstoniaDecember 18, 2006

Ombuds Institution

FinlandOctober 8, 2014

Ombuds Institution

FranceNovember 11, 2008

General Controller of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté)

New Specialised Institution

GeorgiaAugust 9, 2005

Ombuds Institution

GermanyDecember 4, 2008

National Agency for the Prevention of Torture, comprising:

- Federal Agency for the Prevention of Torture (Bundesstelle zur Verhütung von Folter); and

- Joint Commission of the Länder (Länderkommission zur Verhütung von Folter)

New Specialised Institution

GreeceFebruary 11, 2014

Ombuds Institution

HungaryJanuary 12, 2012

Ombuds Institution

IcelandFebruary 20, 2019

Ombuds Institution

ItalyApril 3, 2013

New Specialised Institution

KazakhstanOctober 22, 2008

Commissioner for Human Rights, in cooperation with public monitoring commissions and civil society

Ombuds Plus Institution

KyrgyzstanDecember 29, 2008

New Specialised Institution

LatviaDecember 10, 2021

Ombudsman

LiechtensteinNovember 3, 2006

Corrections Commission (Vollzugskommission)

New Specialised Institution

LithuaniaJanuary 20, 2014

Parliamentary Ombudsperson's Office (Seimas Ombudsmen's Office)

Ombuds Institution

LuxembourgMay 19, 2010

Ombudsperson's Office (Médiateure du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg)

Ombuds Institution

MaltaSeptember 24, 2003

Multiple Institutions

MoldovaJuly 24, 2006

Council for the Prevention of Torture, composed of 7 members, including the Ombudsperson (Moldovan Centre for Human Rights), the Ombudsperson for children and 5 members proposed by the civil society.

Ombuds Plus Institution

MontenegroMarch 6, 2009

Ombuds Institution

NetherlandsSeptember 28, 2010

4 bodies are designated as the NPM: the Inspectorate of Security and Justice (IVenJ), which also acts as coordinating body; the Health Care Inspectorate (IGZ); the Inspectorate for Youth Care (IJZ); and the Council for the Administration of Criminal Justice and Protection of Juveniles (RSJ).

Multiple Institutions

North MacedoniaFebruary 13, 2009

Ombuds Institution

NorwayJune 27, 2013

Ombuds Institution

PolandSeptember 14, 2005

Ombuds Institution

PortugalJanuary 15, 2013

Ombudsperson's Office (Provedor de Justiça)

Ombuds Institution

RomaniaJuly 2, 2009

Ombuds Institution

SerbiaSeptember 26, 2006

Protector of Citizens, in cooperation with the ombudsperson's offices from the autonomous provinces and human rights associations

Ombuds Plus Institution

SloveniaJanuary 23, 2007

Human Rights Ombudsman, in collaboration with NGOs (Slovenian Red Cross, Legal Information Center for NGOs, Primus Institute, Slovenian Federation of Pensioners' Organisations and Novi paradoks)

Ombuds Plus Institution

SpainApril 4, 2006

Ombudsperson's Office (Defensoría del Pueblo)

Ombuds Institution

SwedenSeptember 14, 2005

Parliamentary Ombudsmen (Riksdagens Ombudsmän)

Ombuds Institution

SwitzerlandSeptember 24, 2009

National Commission for the Prevention of Torture (Commission nationale pour la prévention de la torture)

New Specialised Institution

TurkeySeptember 27, 2011

National Human Rights Commission

UkraineSeptember 19, 2006

Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights in collaboration with an Expert Council, human rights NGOs and individual monitors.

Ombuds Plus Institution

United KingdomDecember 10, 2003

21 bodies were designated as part of the UK NPM, coordinated by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons - Click for a complete list

Multiple Institutions

Middle East & North Africa

Middle East & North Africa

CountryDate of ratificationNPM OptionsNPM Type
LebanonDecember 22, 2008

National Commission for Human Rights

National Human Rights Commission

MauritaniaOctober 3, 2012

National Preventive Mechanism

New Specialised Institution

MoroccoNovember 24, 2014

National Human Rights Council (Conseil national des droits de l'Homme)

National Human Rights Commission

TunisiaJune 29, 2011

New Specialised Institution