Tunisian authorities were reminded of the opportunity and obligation to establish a national prevention body before July 2012 in order to implement the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT), ratified by Tunisia on 28 June 2011.
The establishment of such a mechanism emerged as a key recommendation of a national round-table discussion on the eradication and prevention of torture organized by OMCT in Tunis from 9-10 February, attended by representatives of the civil society and the government and international experts, among them SPT Vice-President Suzanna Jabbour.
Participants expect the future mechanism to contribute to the reform of institutions and the change of mind-set needed to end the culture of torture installed by the former regime. They underlined that the preventive mechanism should complement other mechanisms required for establishing the truth about the systematic torture in the past and ensuring justice and redress for the victims. In bilateral meetings that took place on the side of this round-table, the authorities ensured the APT of their commitment to establish the mechanism in conformity with the international obligation and within the timeframe set by the OPCAT.