News on prevention

On 28 October 2010, the SPT membership increased from 10 to 25, and includes for the first time experts from Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the Asian and Pacific regions.

Gender balance increased sensitively, with 8 members out of the 25 being women. A wide range of expertise and professional experience is also now being represented within the SPT, as it includes medical doctors, forensic doctors, psychologists, professionals with national detention monitoring experience, lawyers, judges and magistrates, experts in administration of justice and management of detention centres and former police officers.

APT Summary of key information on the enlarged SPT

States Parties to the OPCAT elected 20 members from a list of 31 candidates. From the 20 members, 5 of them were re-elected and 7 were selected by lot for a two-year mandate.

The 20 members will take up their new mandate in February 2011, joining the existing five members.

The enlarged SPT comprises: