Yearbook of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment/Annuaire de la convention européenne pour la prévention de la torture et des peines ou traitements inhumains ou dégradants

Book excerpt: The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in June 1987. It entered into force in February 1989 and all 47 member States are Parties to the Convention. The Convention has already established itself as an important human rights instrument. Its approach is quite different from that of the European Convention on Human Rights. Whereas the ECHR provides a remedy for particular human rights violations after the event, the Convention for the Prevention of Torture (ECPT) seeks to prevent human rights violations, through a system of visits to places of detention. The Convention is intended to be an integrated part of the Council of Europe system for the protection of human rights, placing a proactive non-judicial mechanism alongside the reactive judicial mechanism established under the ECHR. The Yearbook of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture offers an essential annual overview of developments in relation to the ECPT. Part One contains general information. Part Two is about the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT). Part Three is a general report on the activities of the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Part Four contains reports on visits by the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and responses of governments. Bilingual: English and French; 2-volume set.